Hong Kong’s major franchised bus operators have stepped up measures to remind passengers to fasten their seatbelts ahead of new regulations that will take effect on January 25.
Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) said it has issued internal guidelines for bus captains. If a passenger reports another passenger not wearing a seatbelt, the captain will issue a reminder through the public address system.
If a seatbelt is found to be malfunctioning, the captain will advise the passenger to move to another seat and will record the incident for company follow-up.
To further reinforce compliance with the new requirements, KMB said it will use multiple channels, including onboard announcements as well as displays at bus stations and inside buses.
All 4,300 buses operated by KMB and Long Win Bus are fitted with designated seats equipped with seatbelts on both upper and lower decks. More than 2,500 of these buses are equipped with seatbelts in all seats or all upper-deck seats, accounting for about 60 percent of the combined fleet. These buses are mainly deployed on routes that travel along expressways.
Since 2018, KMB and Long Win Bus have installed seatbelts on every seat in all newly procured buses and will continue to introduce such models under their bus replacement program.
Meanwhile, Citybus said it has strengthened efforts to promote seatbelt use through announcements, posters, and electronic displays.
Since 2018, all seats in newly introduced Citybus double-deckers have been fitted with seatbelts. At present, more than 780 buses are equipped with seatbelts in all seats or in upper-deck seats only.
