Public light bus
The public light bus (PLB) or minibus is a public transport service in Hong Kong. It uses minibuses to provide quicker transport and to serve areas that standard Hong Kong bus lines cannot reach as efficiently. The vehicles are colloquially known by the code-switch Van仔 (Van Jái) literally "van-ette".
| Public light bus | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A green minibus ('GMB') | |||||||||||||
| Chinese | 公共小型巴士 | ||||||||||||
| Cantonese Yale | Gūngguhng Síuyìhng Bāsí | ||||||||||||
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| Alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||||
| Chinese | 小巴 | ||||||||||||
| Cantonese Yale | Síubā | ||||||||||||
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Depending on the type of vehicle, minibuses carry a maximum of 16 or 19 seated passengers; no standing passengers are allowed. Minibuses typically offer a faster and more efficient transportation solution due to their small size, limited carrying capacity, frequency and diverse range of routes, although they are generally slightly more expensive than standard buses. The popularity of minibus services in Hong Kong can be attributed to Hong Kong's high population density, as well as their ability to navigate narrow and winding roads which standard buses cannot.