KMB rolls out free umbrella borrowing service at twenty major bus hubs

To help passengers navigate the city's increasingly unpredictable weather, Kowloon Motor Bus has launched a new umbrella-sharing service at 20 of its key bus terminals and interchanges, starting Saturday. 

Under the new scheme, commuters caught in sudden rainstorms can borrow a distinctive transparent umbrella printed with the transport company's logo.

Seamless borrow-and-return system across the territory

To maximize convenience, the bus operator has designed a highly flexible system that allows passengers to borrow an umbrella from any participating hub and return it to any other designated location at their convenience, removing the need to travel back to the original starting point. 

The actual availability of the umbrellas will be adjusted dynamically based on real-time demand and stock levels at each station.

The service spans twenty strategic transport hubs across Hong Kong, covering key transit points in various districts. In the New Territories, the borrowing points include major interchanges such as the Kowloon-bound Tuen Mun Road Interchange and the Yuen Long-bound Tai Lam Tunnel Bus Interchange. 

Commuters can also access the service at the bus terminals of Luen Wo Hui, Tuen Mun Pier Head, Tin Hang Estate, Tin Shui Wai Town Centre, Sha Tin Central, Ma On Shan Town Centre, Wu Kai Sha Station, and Tai Po Central. 

In Kowloon, the service is available at the customer service station at Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier, as well as terminals at Park Avenue, Lok Fu, Choi Hung, Po Tat Estate, and Lei Yue Mun Estate. 

The remaining locations cover Lantau Island and other key districts, including the terminals at Yat Tung Estate, Kwai Fong Station, and Kwai Shing East.

Giving retired bus parts a second life as umbrellas

Beyond helping the public stay dry, the transport operator is also finding creative ways to support its own staff through sustainable design. 

The company recently collaborated with the Hong Kong Design Institute on a product design competition focused on upcycling retired bus components. 

One of the standout entries, which won a silver award, showcased how retired bus grab handles could be creatively converted into the handles of long umbrellas.

To turn this sustainable concept into a reality, the company partnered with the Christian Family Service Centre Tsui Lam Workshop to mass-produce the award-winning design. 

Equipped with added hand straps for practicality, the first batch of one hundred upcycled umbrellas has already been manufactured and distributed to frontline outreach staff to assist them during outdoor duties.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓