SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 1982
DEFECTS BEHIND LIGHT BUSES' EXAM FAILURES
*****
MECHANICAL DEFECTS AND OLD AGE WERE THE MAIN REASONS WHY MANY PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES COULD NOT PASS THE ANNUAL EXAMINATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S VEHICLE EXAMINATION DIVISION,
THIS WAS STATED TODAY (SUNDAY) BY THE SENIOR ENGINEER IN CHARGE OF THE DIVISION, MR MARTYN UTTLEY,
+A FEW DAYS AGO, AN AGING PLB CAME INTO OUR KOWLOON BAY CENTRE AND WHEN ONE OF OUR EXAMINERS INSPECTED IT, THE STEERING WHEEL CAME LOOSE - IT HAD BEEN HELD ON WITH THE ALUMINIUM TOP OF A SOFT DRINK CAN, HE RECALLED.
• !N ANOTHER INSTANCE, ONE PLB, AFTER FAILING INSPECTION 16 TIMES, BROKE DOWN ON THE WAY TO THE EXAMINATION CENTRE FOR ITS SEVENTEENTH ATTEMPT,+ HE SAID.
A FREQUENT PRACTICE BY REPAIRERS WAS TO CONCEAL LEAKS OR EVEN CRACKS IN BRAKE PIPES WITH A NEW COAT OF PAINT.
MR UTTLEY SAID THAT SOME PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES HAD SO MANY DEFECTS THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO INCLUDE THEM ALL ON THE +REPAIR ORDER.+
RESPONDING TO CRITICISMS RECENTLY BY PLB DRIVERS THAT EXAMINATION STANDARDS WERE TOO HIGH, HE STRESSED THAT THE SAFETY STANDARDS REQUIRED WERE NOT HIGHER THAN THOSE FOR ANY OTHER PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES.
+CERTAINLY, TAXIS AND KMB OR CMB BUSES DO NOT REFLECT THE APPALLING PASS RATES THAT MANY PLBS ARE EXPERIENCING, HE REMARKED.
ACCORDING TO MR UTTLEY, MORE THAN HALF OF THE PRESENT FLEET OF PLBS WERE OVER NINE YEARS OLD, WITH MILEAGE READINGS OF OVER ONE MILLION.
+A NEW PLB, IF PROPERLY MAINTAINED, SHOULD LAST FIVE TO SIX YEARS WITHOUT TOO MANY PROBLEMS. OLDER VEHICLES SHOULD NOT EXPECT AN EASY RIDE THROUGH OUR INSPECTION AND SHOULD BE REPLACED, HE STATED.
MR UTTLEY SAID IT WAS APPARENT THAT WITHOUT THE COMPULSORY ANNUAL INSPECTIONS, QUITE A NUMBER OF THE PLBS WOULD HAVE RECEIVED NO ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OR REPAIR AT ALL.