XN000022-1978-01-26 — Page 5

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1978

NEW MAXICAB ROUTES BEING WORKED OUT

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT IS WORKING OUT DETAILS OF 65 NEW MAXICAB ROUTES WHICH WILL BE PROGRESSIVELY INTRODUCED ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND IN KOWLOON.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID FULL DETAILS OF ROUTES INCLUDING PROPOSED FREQUENCIES, VEHICLE ALLOCATIONS AND PROCEDURES ON HOW TO APPLY WOULD BE ANNOUNCED IN DUE COURSE.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE ROUTES WOULD BE OFFERED IN PACKAGES AND WOULD CONSIST OF LIKELY PROFITABLE AND NON-PROFITABLE ONES SO THAT THERE WOULD BE AN EXTENT OF CROSS-SUBSIDISATION BETWEEN ROUTES IN ANY ONE BATCH.

HE EXPECTED THAT THE FIRST BATCH OF ROUTES FOR HONG KONG ISLAND WILL BE READY FOR APPLICATION IN EARLY APRIL THIS YEAR. ALL EXISTING PLB OWNERS AND OPERATORS WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.

THE AVERAGE VEHICLE REQUIREMENT FOR EACH ROUTE IS ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE VEHICLES AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE 65 NEW MAXICAB ROUTES WILL ABSORB ABOUT 300 PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES FROM THE EXISTING FLEET OF OVER 4,300.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT AN INDEPENDENT SELECTION COMMITTEE, COMPRISING REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCÉ, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AND POSSIBLY AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WOULD BE FORMED TO CONSIDER APPLICATIONS.

THE SELECTION OF APPLICANTS WOULD BE LARGELY BASED ON EXPERIENCE IN THE TRADE, FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE APPLICANT'S ABILITY TO OPERATE A SATISFACTORY SERVICE.

A SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT WOULD, IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, BE AWARDED AN EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO OPERATE A PACKAGE OF MAXICAB ROUTES FOR A TRIAL PERIOD OF NOT MORE THAN THREE MONTHS.

IF HIS OPERATION PROVES SUCCESSFUL AND SATISFACTORY, AN EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE WILL BE AWARDED TO HIM.

THE FRANCHISE WOULD BE FOR AN INITIAL PERIOD OF THREE YEARS WITH AN OPTION TO RENEW.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IF THE MAXICAB SERVICE PROVES SUCCESSFUL IN BOTH HONG KONG AND KOWLOON THEN SIMILAR ROUTES WOULD BE INTRODUCED TO THE NEW TERRITORIES.

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