The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) is a bus company operating franchised services in Hong Kong. It is the largest bus company in Hong Kong by fleet size and number of bus routes, with over 4,000 buses - mostly double deckers - and 420 routes. It is a subsidiary of Transport International.
KMB was founded on 13 April 1933 as a result of the reformation of public transport by the Hong Kong Government. Before the reformation, there were several independent bus operators working on both sides of Victoria Harbour including KMB.
The Hong Kong Government enforces the bus franchises in favour of the franchisees, while it prosecutes the operators of unauthorised private bus services and other types of authorised bus service that pick up or drop off passengers in franchised bus parking zones.
The KMB franchise allowed for the operation of public omnibus service on the Kowloon side as well as the New Territories. The inaugural 1933 KMB fleet consisted of 106 single-deck buses.
The founding members of KMB were:
By December 1941, KMB had 140 single-deckers operating on 17 routes. As only a handful of buses survived World War II, some lorries were temporarily converted into buses. By the late 1940s, KMB ridership increased with the huge influx of immigrants from mainland China. In 1949, KMB bought 20 Daimler double-deckers from England, becoming the first operator of double-deckers in Hong Kong.
Following the opening of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel in 1972, KMB operated a number of cross-harbour routes jointly with China Motor Bus, the sole bus operator on Hong Kong Island. This marked the first time KMB buses ran on the island. In the same year, KMB began experimenting with buses operating without a fare collector. All passengers would board from the front door and pay the fare by putting money into the collection box next to the driver.
In 1996, KMB launched an advertising campaign to promote a modern image. It was the first bus company to display advertisements in Hong Kong.
On 1 June 1997, KMB formed a subsidiary, Long Win Bus, to provide service on the Lantau Link to the new Hong Kong International Airport and Tung Chung. In 1998, KMB extended its business into mainland China with a co-operative joint venture, Dalian Hong Kong Macau Company. In 1999, due to the abuse of the free fare imposed on KCR East Rail feeder routes (K12 - K18) as non-franchised buses, KCR signed a contract with KMB which stated that these routes would be operated de facto by the KMB as franchised bus routes, while all profit would go to the KCR corporation. This contract is still in effect after the KCR-MTR merger.
In July 2007, KMB commenced operating a 10-year franchise, that has since been renewed until June 2027. In April 2023, KMB celebrated its 90th anniversary.
As of December 2023, KMB operates 446 routes in Kowloon and the New Territories, and operates cross-harbour tunnel routes. Some cross-harbour routes are operated conjointly with Citybus, while others are operated solely by KMB.
Numbering System by numbers and district
1-29, 201-229: Kowloon Peninsula (Except route 14S, which ends service at Tseung Kwan O Chinese Permanent Cemetery located in Sai Kung District)
30-49, 230-249: Kwai Tsing District and Tsuen Wan District
50-69, 250-269: Tuen Mun District and Yuen Long District (Except routes 64P and 65K, which serve the Tai Po District exclusively)
70-79, 270-279: Tai Po District and Northern District
80-89, 280-289: Sha Tin District
90-99, 290-299: Sai Kung District