Hong Kong's four franchised bus operators seek fare rises of up to 17.7% over fuel costs
Hong Kong's four franchised bus companies have applied for fare increases of 8.1% to 17.7%, citing higher diesel prices linked to the Middle East conflict. Transport Secretary Mable Chan said the government will weigh affordability as gatekeeper.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Four Hong Kong franchised bus operators have applied to raise fares by up to 17.7 per cent, citing "significant financial pressure" from higher fuel prices linked to the Middle East conflict. South China Morning PostN “Four Hong Kong franchised bus operators have applied to raise fares by up to 17.7 per cent, citing “significant financial pressure” from soaring fuel prices” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ CNAN “Hong Kong’s four franchised bus operators have appealed to the government to raise fares by up to 17.7 per cent” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 2Citybus asked for the largest rise, 17.7 per cent, followed by KMB at 16 per cent, New Lantao Bus at 9.8 per cent and Long Win Bus at 8.1 per cent, according to a paper the Transport and Logistics Bureau submitted to the Legislative Council on Wednesday 14 October. South China Morning PostN “Long Win Bus and New Lantao Bus have applied for rises of 8.1 per cent and 9.8 per cent respectively, according to a paper the Transport and Logistics Bureau submitted to the Legislative Council on Wednesday.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ CNAN “New Lantao Bus sought a fare increase of 9.8 per cent, while Long Win applied for an 8.1 per cent rise.” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 2The bureau said the operators' fuel purchase prices jumped by about 75 to 134 per cent in March compared with January, pushing fuel spending up by 85 to 132 per cent, and that oil prices were expected to stay high. South China Morning PostN “fuel purchase prices jumped by about 75 to 134 per cent in March compared with January, pushing fuel expenditure up by 85 to 132 per cent” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ CNAN “oil prices are expected to remain at a relatively high level” Read at CNA ↗
Centre · 1According to CNA, the paper showed all four companies made profits in 2025, ranging from HK$7.92 million to HK$369 million, but each estimated a substantial fall in profit in the first half of 2026: KMB 55 per cent, Citybus 52 per cent, Long Win 31 per cent and New Lantao Bus 129 per cent. CNAN “The paper showed that the four bus companies recorded profits ranging from HK$7.92 million (US$1 million) to HK$369 million in 2025.”“New Lantao Bus saw the highest drop in profits, recording an estimated 129 per cent drop in the first half of 2026” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 1KMB and Long Win said in a joint statement that fuel costs had "severely impacted" their finances, while Citybus said refined oil prices had swung far more than crude prices and were unlikely to return to pre-conflict levels soon. CNAN “the sharp surge in fuel costs has "severely impacted" their operating finances.”“Experts estimate that international refined oil prices are unlikely to return to pre-conflict levels in the short term,” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 2Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said the government would act as a gatekeeper, take public affordability into account and examine the companies' operating outlook, cost and revenue projections and the impact on services. South China Morning PostN “We will certainly perform our gatekeeping role well,” Chan told reporters after attending the legislature’s meeting on Wednesday.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ CNAN “We will examine the franchised bus companies’ coming operating situation, cost and revenue projections, long-term financial outlook, and the impact on services.” Read at CNA ↗
Centre · 1The bureau's paper proposed that the government reduce a fare rise or reject an application it considers excessive, and noted that passenger numbers (over 3.7 million daily journeys in 2024 and 2025) remain below the 2010–2019 average of about 3.92 million. CNAN “The bureau proposed that the Hong Kong government reduce a proposed fare increase or reject the application if it considers the increase excessive.”“lower than the average of about 3.92 million from 2010 to 2019.” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 1Lawmaker Ben Chan Han-pan called the proposed rises "exceptionally high" and urged the Executive Council to scrutinise them, saying that without renewed subsidies the cost could fall on the public or lead to service cuts; former lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun urged an annual formula-based mechanism like the MTR's. CNAN “Hong Kong politician Ben Chan Han-pan said the proposed increases were “exceptionally high” and called on the Executive Council to scrutinise the applications”“the franchised buses fare adjustments should be linked to an annual transparent mechanism similar to the MTR’s fare adjustment formula” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 1The Legislative Council's transport panel is due to discuss the proposals on Friday; after consulting lawmakers and the Transport Advisory Committee, the government will make a recommendation to the Executive Council for final approval. Last January the Executive Council approved rises of 4.3 per cent for KMB, 6.5 per cent for New Lantao Bus and 7.5 per cent for Citybus. CNAN “Hong Kong’s Legislative Council’s transport panel will discuss the fare-increase proposals on Friday”“Last January, Hong Kong’s Executive Council gave KMB the green light to raise fares by 4.3 per cent, and New Lantao Bus and Citybus by 6.5 per cent and 7.5 per cent, respectively.” Read at CNA ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets report the applications as a fuel-cost story, led by the size of each operator's request and the Transport and Logistics Bureau's paper, with the government's affordability pledge alongside.
- Emphasis
- Fuel cost surges, operators' profit declines, the government's gatekeeper role; CNA adds lawmaker reaction, the passenger-numbers context and next steps.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The SCMP piece omits profit figures, political reaction and the approval process. CNA relies on SCMP for the minister's, operators' and politicians' quotes.
- Charged language
- “soaring fuel prices”“exceptionally high”
- For example
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“Oil prices were expected to remain high amid uncertainty over the trajectory of the Middle East conflict, the bureau added.” — South China Morning Post
“Hong Kong politician Ben Chan Han-pan said the proposed increases were “exceptionally high”” — CNA
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Four franchised bus operators applied for fare rises: Citybus 17.7%, KMB 16%, New Lantao Bus 9.8%, Long Win 8.1%.
- The Transport and Logistics Bureau submitted a paper to the Legislative Council on 14 October.
- Operators' fuel purchase prices rose about 75–134% in March versus January.
- Mable Chan said the government will act as gatekeeper and weigh public affordability.
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Hong Kong bus operators seek fare hikes of up to 17.7% amid fuel price surge
Neutral Concise report of the applications, the bureau's fuel-cost figures and the transport secretary's affordability pledge.
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CNAN ·
Hong Kong bus operators seek fare increases, citing increased fuel prices due to Middle East war
Neutral Fuller report adding operators' profit figures, the bureau's caution, lawmakers' criticism and the approval timetable, largely drawing on SCMP.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 14 Oct 07:34 First South China Morning PostN Hong Kong bus operators seek fare hikes of up to 17.7% amid fuel price surge
- 15 Oct 05:58 +22h 24m CNAN Hong Kong bus operators seek fare increases, citing increased fuel prices due to Middle East war
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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