New World First Bus

New World First Bus Services Limited (NWFB) was the third-largest bus operator in Hong Kong. Established by NWS Holdings and FirstGroup in September 1998, it took over 88 China Motor Bus services in Hong Kong Island. From 2020 until its merger with Citybus in 2023, it was a subsidiary of Bravo Transport, the owner of Citybus. The NWFB brand was retired on 1 July 2023 with operations merged into Citybus.

New World First Bus
Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC in October 2018
ParentBravo Transport
Founded1 September 1998 (1998-09-01)
Defunct1 July 2023 (2023-07-01) (merged to Citybus)
Service areaHong Kong
Service typeBus services
AllianceCitybus
Routes51
Depots4
Fleet650 (July 2022)
Daily ridership489,000 (2012)
Websitewww.nwfb.com.hk
New World First Bus
Traditional Chinese新世界第一巴士服務有限公司

History

Background

Before NWFB was established, franchised bus service in Hong Kong Island was provided by China Motor Bus (CMB) (franchisee since 1933) and Citybus (franchisee since 1991). In the early 1990s, the service levels of CMB were in decline. Therefore, the Government of Hong Kong started to introduce new competitors by transferring the franchise of CMB routes to other companies. As a result, Citybus became the second franchisee of the bus service on Hong Kong Island. Over 40 routes were transferred between 1991 and 1995.[1] In spite of the loss of many profitable routes, the service of CMB did not show any significant improvement.

Bidding for franchise

In February 1998, the government announced the franchise for all 140 routes operated by CMB would not be reviewed when it expired 31 August that year. Eighty-eight of the routes were placed to open tender, 12 routes were transferred directly to Citybus, one cross-harbour route to Kowloon Motor Bus, and the remaining routes were cancelled.[2][3]

Six companies lodged bids:[4][5]

New World First Holdings was considered a dark horse as it was the only bidder with no local bus operation experience. However, New World First Holdings was awarded a five-year franchise in March 1998 with commitments of new facilities, improved service standards and employment of CMB staff. During the handover in mid-1998, NWFB faced a lot of difficulties since CMB was reluctant to cooperate. NWFB commenced operating at midnight on 1 September 1998 after a series of negotiations and with help from the government. However NWFB had already started its operation of other non-overnight routes at midnight as CMB refused to operate after that time.[6][7]

Start of operations

NWFB commenced operations with around 50 new buses and 710 former CMB buses, with the NWFB logo applied over the CMB logos and blue patches over the CMB corporate flag. Having purchased large numbers of second-hand buses from CMB, NWFB started an extensive program to refurbish them. The floor, handrails, lighting system and seating layout were all upgraded. The seating layout was changed from 3+2 to 2+2, making a typical refurbished bus accommodate 10 fewer passengers than one before refurbishment.[7] Most of the non-air-conditioned buses from CMB were withdrawn prematurely in favour of more new buses.

In May 2000 FirstGroup sold its shares to joint venture partner New World Development giving it 100% ownership.[8]

In June 2003 fellow franchised bus operator Citybus was purchased by NWFB parent company NWS Holdings, bringing the bus services of Hong Kong Island once again under control of a single organisation. Before the acquisition, many of the two companies' competing routes overlap each other. In order to make better use of company resources, many routes were reshuffled. Redundant routes were cancelled, and Octopus card bus-bus interchange discounts were introduced between routes of both companies.[8]

In January 2004 NWFB took a 51% shareholding in Kunming New World First Bus, a joint venture established with the Kunming government to operate services to Kunming in Yunnan on 39 routes with 700 buses.[8]

Retirement of brand

In August 2020, along with Citybus, NWFB was sold to the Bravo Transport consortium, made up of private equity firm Templewater Bravo, Hong Kong-listed investment holding company Hans Energy and Ascendal Group.[9][10][11][12]

In July 2022, Bravo Transport announced that it would be retiring the NWFB brand, with operations merged into Citybus when the next franchise commenced on 1 July 2023.[13][14] In July 2023, the brand was retired.[15]

Fleet

As at July 2022, the fleet consisted of 650 buses.[16] NWFB operated four depots at Heng Fa Chuen, Wong Chuk Hang, Tseung Kwan O and West Kowloon.[17]

Routes
Main article: List of bus routes in Hong Kong
New World First Bus stop in Sunshine City Plaza, Ma On Shan, it is served by the exclusive NWFB Eastern Harbour Tunnel route 682

When the government decided to terminate CMB's franchise, New World First Bus acquired 88 routes. Other routes were handed over to Citybus and Kowloon Motor Bus. New World First Bus also operates bus routes in the New Kowloon Development Area and Tseung Kwan O. On the bus stop signs, different types of routes are distinguished by different colours. As at November 2013 NWFB operated 51 routes. As it was also the second bus operator to be fully air-conditioned fleet in Hong Kong, triple digit routes beginning with 5 do not have significant meaning. In October 2009, NWFB commenced operating through its Rickshaw Sightseeing Bus subsidiary.[17]

See also

References
  1. History Citybus
  2. Daily Information Bulletin Information Services Department 17 February 1998
  3. Panel on Transport (Minutes) Provisional Legislative Council 21 February 1998
  4. CKI Forms Consortium To Bid for Bus Tender Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings 13 March 1998
  5. Bus groups battle for Hong Kong tender The Herald 14 March 1998
  6. UK bus operator wins £55m franchise The Independent 1 April 1998
  7. Panel on Transport (Papers) Legislative Council Panel on Transport 31 July 1998
  8. Milestones 2000 NWS Holdings
  9. Private equity fund Templewater buys Citybus and New World First Bus in HK$3.2b deal The Standard 21 August 2020
  10. Hong Kong sale saves jobs Buses issue 787 October 2020 page 20
  11. "International consortium acquires First Bus and Citybus" (PDF). Ascendal Group. NWS Holdings & Templeman. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  12. "Disposal of the entire issued shared capital of NWS Transport Services Limited" (PDF). NWS Holdings. August 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  13. "Bravo Transport Announces the Merger of Citybus and NWFB Franchises into the Newly Created Citybus (Franchise for Urban and New Territories Network)" (PDF). Bravo Transport. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  14. Citybus and New World First Bus merger plan approved by Executive Council The Standard 12 July 2022
  15. "Hong Kong's New World First Bus drives into history as it merges with Citybus". South China Morning Post. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  16. New World First Bus fans vow to take photos and many rides before colours change to Citybus’ yellow and red following merger South China Morning Post 16 July 2022
  17. New World First Bus Hong Kong Transport Department
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