XN000022-1984-08-30 — Page 5

THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1984

KMB FRANCHISE EXTENDED TWO YEARS

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THE FRANCHISE FOR THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY HAS BEEN EXTENDED BY TWO YEARS TO AUGUST 31, 1989.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT IT WAS ESSENTIAL FOR THE BUS COMPANY TO PLAN SUFFICIENTLY AHEAD TO PROVIDE A SATISFACTORY SERVICE. HE ALSO NOTED THAT IN THE TWO YEARS SINCE THE AUGUST 1982 BUS REVIEW, THE COMPANY HAD IMPROVED ITS PERFORMANCE IN COMPLYING WITH SERVICE SCHEDULES AND ROUTE DEVELOPMENT.

THE COMPANY HAD ALSO BEEN DEVELOPING NEW DEPOT SITES AND HAS EXPANDED ITS PASSENGER ENQUIRY HOT-LINE SERVICE TO IMPROVE ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PUBLIC, HE SAID,

ITS TRAINING UNIT, SET UP IN 1965, HAD BEEN ENLARGED AND RE-EQUIPPED. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE HK POLYTECHNIC, FULL-TIME INTENSIVE TRAINING WAS BEING GIVEN TO NEW DRIVERS AND AN ADVANCED COURSE' PROVIDED FOR EXPERIENCED DRIVERS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT IS OF THE OPINION THAT THE COMPANY IS CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING A PROPER AND EFFICIENT SERVICE AND HAS RECOMMENDED THE FRANCHISE EXTENSION, HE SAID.

HE ALSO NOTED THAT A NEW SET OF REGULATIONS HAD COME INTO FORCE YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) TO PROVIDE FOR THE DUTIES OF A FRANCHISED BUS COMAPNY AND ITS EMPLOYEES, AND TO ALLOW THE COMPANY TO HAVE APPROPRIATE AND ADEQUATE POWERS TO GOVERN THE CONDUCT OF PASSENGERS.

THESE PUBLIC BUS SERVICES REGULATIONS 1984, PUBLISHED IN AN EXTRAORDINARY GAZETTE YESTERDAY, ARE BASICALLY AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE PREVIOUS ROAD TRAFFIC (PUBLIC OMNIBUS, PUBLIC LIGHT BUS AND PUBLIC CAR) REGULATIONS, WHICH HAVE BEEN REVOKED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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