3.5pc pay rise up ahead for KMB drivers and maintenance staff

Stacy Shi

Kowloon Motor Bus full-time drivers and maintenance staff are receiving a 3.52 percent pay raise this year, retroactive to June 1. This means their monthly salaries will increase by at least HK$800.

A salary increase for KMB's clerical staff will take effect on September 1. The 3.52 percent raise, however, is less than half of the 8 percent proposed last month by the KMB and Lantau & Islands Bus branch of the Motor Transport Workers General Union.

A KMB spokesman said that the company aimed to strike a balance between its operational situation, fiscal position, the market environment, and salary trends during the wage review.

The spokesman expressed the company's desire "to show our greatest sincerity to attract and retain talents with enhanced remuneration to serve the passengers.

"KMB and [Long Win Bus] pledge to continue investing in environmentally-friendly buses and safety facilities, while working together with employees to provide passengers with safe, reliable and quality services," the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, lawmakers have been puzzled by how four New Territories green minibus routes operated by Fully Mint overcharged passengers by HK30 cents to HK$1 more per trip since May 19.

The green minibus operator on Saturday restored the original fares of HK$5.40 for routes 501A, 501C and 501K in Fanling, and HK$27 for the overnight 501S from Sheung Shui to Kwun Tong. It has also agreed to arrange full refunds for the overcharged fares as demanded by the Transport Department.

Affected passengers will be informed by the operator and the relevant Stored Value Facility operator about the refund arrangements as soon as possible.

DAB legislator Edward Lau Kwok-fan said that the involved minibus routes had applied for a fare increase two years ago, but it had not yet taken effect.

He suggested the operator may have overlooked the proper procedures, which could have led to the unintentional overcharging.

"It cannot be ruled out that there may be loopholes in the process, which is puzzling," he said.

Lau also expressed concerns about the difficulty in refunding cash-paying passengers, and proposed that the operator charge a cheaper fare for a specified period to ensure passengers are fully compensated.

stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com