Authorities send warning to bus operators after glitch disrupts multiple KMB services during Hong Kong morning rush hour
- Drivers have to be manually given route assignments and information because of system errors
- Commuters complain of late buses and overcrowding at stops
Hong Kong’s transport authorities on Monday sent a warning to the city’s largest bus operator over a delay in informing commuters about a system glitch which resulted in service disruptions on multiple routes during the morning rush hour.
The flaw at KMB involved errors in assigning drivers to routes. Commuters, drivers and lawmakers had criticised the bus giant and sister company Long Win Bus for their poor management of the issue, which emerged at 3.50am but was not made public until the peak hours.
A Transport Department spokesman said it had reminded KMB to inform the public about errors as soon as possible so people could adjust their commute.
He added that the department would arrange to meet KMB regarding glitches in its assigning system and a backup procedure.
Earlier in the day, long queues of drivers were seen at KMB bus depots in Tin Shui Wai, Lai Chi Kok, Sha Tin and Kowloon Bay, according to Facebook users.
Commuters complained on social media about late buses and overcrowding at bus stops.
One Facebook user noted that there were about 1,000 people waiting for buses at an interchange along Tuen Mun Road, with bus service 263 being particularly affected.
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KMB Employees Union chairman Kwok Chi-shing, a retired bus driver, criticised the company for not making an announcement about the problem earlier to minimise inconvenience to commuters.
A KMB spokeswoman said the glitches took place at 3.50am, prompting the company to switch to a manual process for giving drivers information on their routes.
She added that KMB had sent more staff to handle the situation and the system was currently under repair.
“Presently, the operation of the bus service has generally returned to normal,” she said. “Additional manpower has been deployed at the interchange stations to cope with the bus schedule and maintain order.”
The spokeswoman did not say how many routes had been seriously affected. She apologised to passengers on behalf of the two companies.
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Speaking on a radio programme, Li Kwok-wah, chairman of the Staff Rights Association of KMB, said it was taking more time for buses to set off because of the manual assignment of routes to drivers.
“We usually get our schedules by tapping a card,” he said.
But the process became complicated and time-consuming if the information had to be given out manually as some departments were small, with only one or two staff, who had to record information such as which driver was assigned to which bus and at what time, Li added.
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He said some drivers waited for as long as 20 minutes without receiving the information.
After that, they still had to look for the buses, as such details were in the system, and the vehicles could be in depots or stations, to which the drivers had to travel.
The assigning system is new, but the computers used are old
Speaking on a separate radio show, Kwok from the KMB Employees Union said such glitches happened several times a year.
“The assigning system is new, but the computers used are old.”
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He noted that the manpower for assigning schedules had been reduced in recent years, and many staff were new and not familiar with the manual process.
