New World First Bus
| Company type | Subsidiary (until 2023) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transport (bus services) |
| Founded | September 1998 |
| Founder | NWS Holdings and FirstGroup |
| Defunct | July 1, 2023 |
| Fate | Merged into Citybus |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Area served | Hong Kong Island |
| Products | Bus services |
| Owner | Bravo Transport (2020–2023) |
| Parent | Bravo Transport (2020–2023) |
New World First Bus Services Limited (NWFB) ranked as the third-largest bus operator in Hong Kong. Established in September 1998 through a partnership between NWS Holdings and FirstGroup, it assumed control of 88 routes previously managed by China Motor Bus on Hong Kong Island. From the year 2020 until its integration with Citybus in 2023, NWFB functioned as a subsidiary of Bravo Transport, the parent company of Citybus. The NWFB brand ceased to exist on 1 July 2023 following the operational merger into Citybus.
Background
Prior to NWFB’s inception, franchised bus services on Hong Kong Island were provided by China Motor Bus (CMB) since 1933 and by Citybus starting in 1991. Due to deteriorating service quality at CMB during the early 1990s, the government introduced competition by reallocating certain routes to Citybus. Between 1991 and 1995, over 40 routes were transferred; however, CMB’s service levels saw minimal improvement.
Franchise Tender Process
In February 1998, the government declared it would not renew CMB’s franchise upon its expiration on 31 August. Of the total 140 routes operated by CMB, 88 were put out for tender, 12 were reassigned to Citybus, one cross-harbour route was transferred to Kowloon Motor Bus, while others were discontinued.
Six bidders submitted proposals for the franchise:
| Proposed Name | Previous Shareholders | Current Ownership | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affluent Dragon Island Limited | China Motor Bus (50%) | ||
| Stagecoach Group (Template:LSE) (50%) | |||
| Argos Bus | Argos Enterprise (Holdings) (
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| HKR International (50%) | |||
| Hong Kong Public Bus Co Limited | Dah Chong Hong (
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Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings (
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| Hong Kong United Bus Limited | Citybus Group (35%) | ||
CK Infrastructure Holdings (
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China Travel International Investment Hong Kong (
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CNT Group (
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| Hong Kong Motor Bus | (now Transport International) | ||
| New World First Bus | (NWS Holdings) (
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| (FirstGroup) (Template:Lse) (26%) |
Although NWS Holdings lacked prior experience in local bus operations, it secured the franchise in March 1998 by pledging investments in new infrastructure, enhancements in service quality, and retention of former CMB employees. The handover encountered difficulties due to CMB’s unwillingness to cooperate. Following government intervention and negotiations, NWFB commenced services at midnight on 1 September 1998, initially operating only daytime routes since CMB refused to run overnight services.
Commencement of Operations
On 1 September 1998, NWFB took control of 88 bus routes, initially deploying predominantly step-entrance buses numbering around 710. To remain competitive against Citybus and KMB, NWFB invested in a fleet of 500 new low-floor buses, including an immediate introduction of 50 out of 76 Dennis Dart SLFs. Existing step-entrance buses were rebranded with NWFB insignia and gradually refurbished—upgrades included floor modifications, improved handrails and lighting, as well as changing seating configurations from a dense 3+2 layout to a more comfortable 2+2 arrangement, resulting in a reduction of approximately ten seats per vehicle.
By January 2016, all older CMB buses had been fully retired and replaced with low-floor models; some units were handed over to Citybus before being withdrawn from service. Subsequently, NWFB began phasing out its earliest generation of low-floor buses, with several also transferred to Citybus prior to decommissioning.
In May 2000, FirstGroup divested its shares to New World Development, granting full ownership to the latter. Later in June 2003, NWS Holdings acquired Citybus as well, consolidating most bus operations on Hong Kong Island under one entity. This consolidation prompted route adjustments, elimination of overlapping services, and the introduction of Octopus card bus-to-bus interchange discounts across both operators’ networks.
In January 2004, NWFB obtained a majority stake of 51% in Kunming New World First Bus—a joint venture with Kunming’s municipal government that operated a fleet of approximately 700 buses across 39 routes within Yunnan province.
Brand Discontinuation
In August 2020, Bravo Transport, a consortium consisting of private equity firm Templewater Bravo, Hong Kong-listed Hans Energy, and the Ascendal Group, acquired NWFB and Citybus.
By July 2022, Bravo Transport declared that the NWFB brand would be phased out, with its services integrated into Citybus following the franchise renewal on 1 July 2023. Consequently, the NWFB brand was officially discontinued in July 2023.
Fleet
As of July 2022, the bus fleet totaled 650 vehicles. NWFB managed four depots situated at Heng Fa Chuen, Wong Chuk Hang, Tseung Kwan O, and West Kowloon.
Routes
Prior to its merger with Citybus, New World First Bus operated a network of 168 routes. Originally, triple-digit routes beginning with the number 5 were introduced in the 1990s as air-conditioned services; these have since been streamlined to only three routes: 511, 592, and 595. In October 2009, NWFB broadened its service portfolio by launching the Rickshaw Sightseeing Bus route.