Hot Dog

Kowloon Motor Bus has announced it will continue to operate hot dog buses for several years.

Commuters gave this nickname to the old non-air conditioned vehicles because interior temperatures can shoot up to 37C during the summer. KMB has more than 1,000 old units in its fleet, covering 170 routes.

The company's hands are tied. It can only replace the buses when they reach a certain age, and it has to file applications with the Transport Department to gain approval, as air conditioned buses are more expensive and the fares charged on the affected routes would increase. KMB replaces between 200 to 300 buses per year.

Many commuters don't mind hot dog buses. The windows are left open, the fares are cheaper and most take the bus for short trips.

When we lived in Sha Tin, KMB had both air conditioned and hot dog buses on the same routes. We took the hot dog bus if it was the first to arrive and learned to sit by the windows.

That strategy went out the window during a typhoon, as the windows on the upper deck had to remain open by law. Another downside to having the windows open is the inflow of traffic fumes: rude on scorching summer days.

Some will relish the day when the last of the hot dog buses is retired.

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