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Letters | Tick all the boxes for greener, better commute with on-demand bus services in Hong Kong
- Customised bus services are already the norm in many Chinese cities, where app users register demand, choose from proposed routes and easily book seats
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The Transport Department is developing a real-time arrival information system for Hong Kong’s green minibuses by installing location detection devices on about 3,500 of them. Passengers using the HKeMobility app can then see the estimated arrival time of their minibus and plan their trips accordingly. Data collected by HKeMobility can also be used by the government to review demand for the minibus services and optimise trip frequencies accordingly.
Despite this and many other improvements in public vehicles, many city residents still commute by car. To convert more drivers to public transport – and so reduce carbon footprints and traffic jams – the Transport Department should consider introducing customised bus and minibus services. First introduced in Qingdao in 2013, tailor-made bus services have become available in many Chinese cities to meet the needs of underserved commuters.
With HKeMobility, demand for customised bus services in Hong Kong can be surveyed through travel requests from app users. Aggregating the demand data, the app can then propose a number of routes for the customers to register for and reserve seats. Once a sufficient number of passengers are identified, the bus tickets can then be sold through the app.
Such customised bus services can significantly improve the city’s road efficiency as the buses do not have to ply every transit stop and may adjust their routes according to traffic conditions. Ensuring that seats can be reserved should also make the service more attractive for car owners.
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Meet Hong Kong's minibus sign-writer
Meet Hong Kong's minibus sign-writer
As of February 28 this year, there were 7,190 registered non-franchised public buses in Hong Kong. Last year, their utility rate was only about 53 per cent. We urge the operators of non-franchised public buses to explore the possibility of offering customised services to Hong Kong residents with the support of the Smart Traffic Fund, which can provide up to HK$20 million (US$2.6 million) for each project.
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