The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (KMB) unveiled its spanking new fleet of red double-decker buses yesterday, which are due to hit Hong Kong roads in all their Brit-inspired glory this July.
The buses were revealed in a Facebook live video by KMB employee Gary Leung (who incidentally made the news in 2013 after giving up his job as a financial analyst to be a KMB driver).
Despite its “retro” look, the sleek new fleet, which is currently being assembled in Malaysia, will feature modern amenities such as USB charging ports. The theme of the makeover is reportedly “the pulse of Hong Kong”, which is demonstrated by the cardiogram-esque graphic of the Hong Kong skyline on the roof of the buses.
According to Leung, KMB considers Hong Kong’s roads as the city’s arteries and its own buses as the blood to keep it alive. Be that as it may, many netizens and publications have already pointed out that the design seems inspired by classic red Routemaster buses that have become symbolic of London.
(Looks like the bus enthusiasts who shipped an actual London bus to Hong Kong last year just lost their selling point though.)
Whether intentional or not, it does seem like a bit of a coincidence that these British-looking buses are due to make their debut in July, on the 20th anniversary of the handover. Or maybe we’re just reading into it too much.
