TRANSPORT
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compared with 236 million and 48 million, respectively, the previous year. CMB purchased 30 air-conditioned double-deckers and eight air-conditioned single-deckers in 1994 to improve services. Fares ranged from $1.90 to $30. Since July 3, concessionary fares are available to elderly passengers aged 65 and over on all CMB Hong Kong Island routes.
Citybus Limited (Citybus) is the other franchised operator on Hong Kong Island. It began franchised operations on September 1, 1993. Citybus operates 35 routes on the island and, jointly with KMB, four cross-harbour tunnel routes. At the end of the year, Citybus had a fleet of 144 franchised double-decker buses, of which 141 were air-conditioned. Fares ranged from $2 to $3.60 for non air-conditioned trips, and from $2.40 to $13 for air- conditioned services. Elderly passengers aged 60 and over are entitled to concessionary fares on Hong Kong Island routes. The company's franchised bus services made 68 million passenger trips and travelled 12 million kilometres during the year.
The New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited (NLB) operates seven regular, and one recreational, franchised routes on Lantau Island with a fleet of 69 single-decker and five double-decker buses. Most NLB services connect with the ferries at Mui Wo. Operational efficiency was improved in September 1991 with the opening of a new bus depot in Mui Wo. The average weekday patronage of NLB in 1994 was 12 038 passengers. Boosted by recreational traffic, the average patronage on Sundays and public holidays was 19 294 passengers. Fares ranged from $1.20 to $21. Since July 1, 1994, elderly passengers aged 65 or above are entitled to a half-fare concession on most NLB franchised routes. The -- concession is not available on routes to the Po Lin Monastery at Ngong Ping on Sundays and public holidays. To meet peak recreational demand, NLB introduced in June 1991 a special service between Mui Wo and the Po Lin Monastery, using non-franchised, air-conditioned coaches ferried to Lantau at weekends. This special service has been extended to Saturdays to cater for increasing passenger demand after the opening of the Tian Tan Buddha statue at Ngong Ping. The average patronage on this special service was 7 321 passengers per day during the year. The company's franchise has been extended to March 31, 1997.
Minibuses
Hong Kong's minibuses are licensed to carry a maximum of 16 seated passengers. There were 6 939 minibuses in 1994. Of these, 4 350 were public light buses (PLB), and 2 589 private light buses.
The PLBs are authorised to carry passengers at separate fares. The private light buses are authorised only to carry group passengers, and the collection of separate fares is not permitted.
The operation of PLBS is regulated by a passenger service licence. There are two types of PLBs. Green PLBs provide services according to fixed schedules. There were 1 742 of these, operating on 252 approved routes, each with fixed fares and timetables. They carried 753 000 passengers a day. Red PLBs operate without a schedule. They do not have fixed routes, timetables and fares. In 1994, there were about 2 608 red PLBs, which carried about 987 000 passengers daily.
In line with government policy to convert more red PLBs to operate on scheduled routes, more new scheduled routes will be identified. During the year, a green minibus selection exercise was conducted and minibus operators were invited to apply for the right to operate a total of 21 routes.