Today (2nd), the Transport Department sent an invitation to 11 red minibus operators who meet the specified conditions to apply for the conversion of red minibus routes to green special minibus route mode operation ("Selected Red to Green" plan), deadline is October 31 this year.

The Transport Department will review each application received to ensure that the route operators meet the conditions for operating public minibus (special routes), including hiring drivers for the route, which must be approved and regulated by the Transport Department on a daily operation and fare basis. The approval is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The Transport Department stated that the Hong Kong government has always encouraged the conversion of red minibuses to operate as special minibus routes to ensure the quality of service and more effective regulation of public minibuses. The Transport Department now invites red minibus route operators who have participated in the government's Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme (Two Dollars Concession Scheme) and meet the specified conditions to apply directly for the conversion of their red minibus routes to green special minibus route operation.

In addition, the specified conditions of the "Selected Red to Green" plan include that the service period of the red minibus route must be 5 years or more; the vehicles within the route will only operate on that single route and provide full-day service every day; and the route will be operated by a single operator.

Moreover, the Transport Department conducted extensive consultations with the public minibus industry on the "Selected Red to Green" plan at the end of May this year. The industry generally supports the plan and responded positively.