Sun Cheong Transportation Hong Kong Company Limited (新昌運輸香港有限公司), known as "Sun Cheong" or "Sun Cheong Transportation", is one of the green minibus operators in Hong Kong, providing green minibus routes to and from Pok Fu Lam and Chi Fu Fa Yuen area.
The company's office and garage is located at Shop No. 22-23, Nam Hung Mansion, Praya, Kennedy Town, Kennedy Town, Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, next to the Kennedy Town Swimming Pool bus stop.
History[]
Sun Cheong Transportation was established as Pokfulam Maxicab Co Ltd. (薄扶林專線小巴公司) on 18 October 2005, but the service was continued under the name of Sun Cheong Transportation Hong Kong Co Ltd during the same period and has been maintained ever since.
As early as 1980, Sun Cheong Transportation already operated two green minibus routes to serve residents in the Southern District, namely Route 22 between Central and Pokfulam Gardens, and Route 23 between Kennedy Town and Wah Fu Estate, both via Chi Fu Fa Yuen.
The company used to be one of the few GMB operators in Hong Kong to own Mitsubishi Rosa minibuses, but all of its Mitsubishi Rosa minibuses were retired or resold in the 1990s.
To enhance the safety of its minibuses, Sun Cheong Transportation purchased an Israeli-made intelligent advance warning system called "Mobileye"[1] in late October 2012 and installed it on a 22-gauge minibus. The system detects the distance between vehicles and pedestrians in front of the vehicle, analyses the road conditions and the driving attitude of the minibus driver through an image analysis modem installed in the windscreen. If the vehicle is found to have exceeded the speed limit, deviated from the traffic lane or even if the driver's behaviour is abnormal, the system will emit different audible alarms to alert the driver so that he can be more vigilant and minimise the occurrence of traffic accidents.
In 2017, Sun Cheong Transportation applied for funding from the Pilot Green Transport Fund in the name of Pokfulam Public Light Bus Company Limited to introduce a third-generation GMI Gemini 19-seater diesel-electric hybrid light bus for trial. The vehicle was issued with the licence plate EJ8882 and commenced service in February 2018 on Hong Kong Island GMB Route 23.
Sun Cheong Transportation is active on social media. On 22 November 2016, the company set up an official Facebook page under the Chinese name "新昌運輸香港有限公司" in order to provide more information about the company. [2] To facilitate passengers in claiming their lost items, the company even set up a separate page on 29 March 2018 entitled "港島專線小巴22線23線失物認領處" (Hong Kong Island GMB Route 22 and 23 Lost and Found), which was unfortunately forced to cease operation on 1 June 2018 due to allegations of non-compliance with the law. [3] Sun Cheong Transportation also opened an official Instagram profile "@scminibus" on 11 May 2018, setting a precedent in the industry.
Minibus routes[]
The current minibus routes operated by Sun Cheong Transportation are as follows:
Routes operated under Sun Cheong Transportation | ||
---|---|---|
Route no. | Termini | Remarks |
22 | Pok Fu Lam Gardens ↔ Central (Exchange Square) ● | Daytime route |
22S | Pok Fu Lam Gardens ↔ Central Ferry Pier ● | Daytime route |
22X | Pok Fu Lam Garden ↔ CentralPier ● | Daytime route |
23 | Kennedy Town Station ↺ Wah Lok House ● | Daytime route |
23M | Chi Fu Fa Yuen ↔ Kennedy Town Station ● | Daytime route |
Minibus fleets[]
Currently a total of 32 minibuses are deployed on Hong Kong Island GMB Routes 22/23 operated under Sun Cheong Transportation, including:
- 28 Toyota Coaster (1 2003 5LS, 2 2004 5LS, 2 2004 5LS2, 6 2005 5LS2, 1 2007 5LS2, 8 2018 7LL, 3 2019 7LL and 5 2020 7LL)
- 4 GMI Gemini (2 2018 3rd generation and 2 2020 3rd generation)
List of Sun Cheong Transportation minibuses | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plate No. | Model | Type No.[Remark 1] | Seat | Route Sign Configuration | Route(s) | Remarks |
AS7868 | Toyota Coaster | 2005 5LS2 | 16-seater High Adopt | Rollsign | 23 series | Licence Plate Originally belonged to Nissan Echo and TOYOTA Coaster (1988 2nd Generation and 3rd Generation[Remark 2]) |
BB1392 | 2018 7LL | 19-seater Vegaset | Patent Enterprises EDS | Entered service in September 2018 Licence Plate belonged to 2003 5LS | ||
CX6839 | 2019 7LL | Transfull EDS | Entered service in October 2019 Licence Plate belonged to Nissan Echo and Toyota Coaster (1991 2nd Generation and 2003 5LS) | |||
DJ9139 | Patent Enterprises EDS | Entered service in March 2019 Licence Plate belonged to 2nd Generation and 2003 5LS | ||||
DM9340 | 2018 7LL | Entered service in December 2018 Licence Plate belonged to 1986 1st Generation and 2002 5LS[Remark 3] | ||||
ED8639 | 2003 5LS | 16-seater Low-adopt | Rollsign | Entered service in March 2003 Licence Plate belonged to 1989 2nd Generation | ||
EE3086 | GMI Gemini | 2020 3rd Generation | 19-seater NewHarmony (NHR) seats | Tung Tat EDS | 22 series | Entered service in March 2020 Licence Plate belonged to TOYOTA Coaster (1989 2nd Generation and 2002 5LS) |
EE8055 | Entered service in April 2020 Licence Plate belonged to TOYOTA Coaster (1989 2nd Generation and 2002 5LS) | |||||
EJ8882 | 2018 3rd Generation | 23 series | Entered service in February 2018 Licence Plate belonged to TOYOTA Coaster (1990 2nd Generation and 2002 5LS) | |||
EK2691 | TOYOTA Coaster | 2004 5LS2 | 16-seater high Adopt | Rollsign | 22/23 series | Formerly vehicle of Extra Billion Investment New Territories Route 140M Entered service in September 2005 |
EM8882 | 2018 7LL | 19-seater Vegaset | Patent Enterprises EDS | 23 series | Emtered service in April 2018 Licence Plate belonged to 1990 2nd Generation and 2003 5LS | |
EW8997 | 2004 5LS | 16-seater Lower-back | Rollsign | Spare | Licence Plate belonged to 1991 2nd Generation | |
FA9929 | 2007 5LS2 | 16-seater high Adopt | 22/23 series | Formerly vehicle of Red Minibus Kwun Mei Route | ||
GX9677 | 2005 5LS2 | 22 series | Entered service in September 2005 Licence Plate belonged to 1996 3rd Generation | |||
GY2393 | 2020 7LL | 19-seater Vegaset | Transfull EDS | 23 series | Entered service in October 2020 Licence Plate belonged to 1996 3rd Generation and 2005 5LS2 | |
GY8635 | 2005 5LS2 | 16-seater High back | Rollsign | Entered service in November 2005 Licence Plate belonged to 1996 3rd Generation | ||
KV6936 | 2019 7LL | 19-seater Vegaset | Transfull EDS | Spare | Entered service in December 2019 Licence Plate belonged to 2003 5LS | |
LA392 | 2018 7LL | Patent Enterprises EDS | 23 series | Entered service in June 2018 Licence Plate belonged to 2003 5LS | ||
LA4381 | GMI Gemini | 2018 3rd Generation | 19-seater NewHarmony (NHR) seats | Tung Tat EDS | 22 series | Entered service in June 2018 Licence Plate belonged to TOYOTA Coaster (2003 5LS) |
LG2081 | TOYOTA Coaster | 2018 7LL | 19-seater Vegaset | Patent Enterprises EDS | 23 series | Entered service in December 2018 Licence Plate belonged to 2003 5LS |
LG7602 | 2020 7LL | Transfull EDS | 22 series | Enyered service in January 2020 Licence Plate belonged to 2004 5LS | ||
LT5045 | 2004 5LS2 | 16-seater high back | Rollsign | 23 series | Fornerly vehicle of Northern Island Trunk Route and Po Mong Route Entered service in October 2015 | |
LW3931 | 2005 5LS2 | Entered service in April 2005 | ||||
MA8677 | 22 series | Entered service in August 2005 | ||||
MY8108 | Spare | Plate Originally was MA8879, licence Plate changed in November 2007 Entered service in 2005 | ||||
TF9821 | 2004 5LS | 16-seater Low Adopt | 23 series | Plate originally was ES711, Licence Plate changed at March 2015 Formerly vehicle of Red Minibus Entered service in April 2015 | ||
VR3487 | 2018 7LL | 19-seater Vegaset | Patent Enterprises EDS | Entered service in August 2018 | ||
VS9134 | Entered service in September 2018 | |||||
VT8876 | Entered service in October 2018 | |||||
WT2489 | 2020 7LL | Transfull EDS | 22 series | Entered service in June 2020 | ||
WV3570 | Entered service in July 2020 | |||||
WZ3235 | Entered service in October 2020 |
List of former minibuses of Sun Cheong Transportation | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plate No. | Model | Type No. | Seat No. | Retired/Withdrawal Date | Whereabouts | Substituted vehicle(s) |
AS7868 | Nissan Echo | 14 | 1988 | Retired | Same Licence TOYOTA Coaster (1988 2nd Generation) | |
TOYOTA Coaster | 1988 2nd Generation | 16 | Unknown | Same Licence (3rd Generation) | ||
3rd Generation | September 2005 | Transferred to Peak Scenes Kowloon 19 series then changed the plate number as LV7197 | Same Licence (2005 5LS2) | |||
BB1392 | 2003 5LS | September 2018 | Retired | Same Licence (2018 7LL) | ||
CH9847 | Nissan Echo | 14 | Unknown | Transferred to Fine Lucked Kowloon Route 25M | HH9307 (TOYOTA Coaster - 2nd Generation) | |
CX6839 | 1991 | Retired | Same Licence Toyota Coaster (1991 2nd Generation) | |||
Toyota Coaster | 1991 2nd Generation | 16 | 2003 | Same Licence (2003 5LS) | ||
2003 5LS | October 2019 | Same Licence (2019 7LL) | ||||
DB1264 | Mitsubishi Rosa | 1984 BE211D | Unknown | EJ2864 (Toyota Coaster - 1990 2nd Generation) | ||
DB9071 | Transferred to Sun Luen Maxicab Hong Kong Island Route 1/1A | DX2284 (Toyota Coaster - 1987 1st Generation) | ||||
DJ2547 | BE211D | EU4486 (Toyota Coaster - 1989 2nd Generation) | ||||
DJ3329 | Retired | Same Licence Toyota Coaster (2nd Generation) | ||||
Toyota Coaster | 2nd Generation | 2003 | Same Licence (2003 5LS) | |||
2003 5LS | 2023 | |||||
DJ9139 | 2nd Generation | 2003 | Same Licence (2003 5LS) | |||
2003 5LS | March 2019 | Same Licence (2019 7LL) | ||||
DM9340 | 1986 1st Generation | 2002 | Same Licence (2002 5LS) | |||
2002 5LS | December 2018 | Same Licence (2018 7LL) | ||||
DN214 | 1987 1st Generation | October 2002 | KS9939 (2002 5LS) | |||
DU5789 | Mitsubishi Rosa | 1988 BE434E | 1996 | GY8635 (Toyota Coaster - 1996 3rd Generation) | ||
DU8689 | GX9677 (Toyota Coaster - 1996 3rd Generation) | |||||
DW1205 | Changed as Red Minibus Now retired |
GY952 (Toyota Coaster - 1996 3rd Generation) | ||||
DW2631 | Retired | GY2393 (Toyota Coaster - 1996 3rd Generation) | ||||
DX2284 | Toyota Coaster | 1987 1st Generation | December 2002 | KU1964 (2002 5LS) | ||
DX2961 | Mitsubishi Rosa | 1988 BE434E | 1997 | Transferred to Sea Dragon Kowloon Route 13 | GC2105 (Toyota Coaster - 1994 3rd Generation) | |
DZ8066 | Toyota Coaster | 1987 1st Generation | Unknown | Retired | Same Licence 3rd Generation | |
3rd Generation | April 2005 | Retired Licence Plate is now belonging to 2005 5LS2 of Lee Wai Chang Transportation New Territories 89 series/Route 98 |
LW3931 (2005 5LS2) | |||
EA5282 | 1989 2nd Generation | June 2003 | Retired | LA392 (2003 5LS) | ||
EC9928 | Unknown | Same Licence 3rd Generation | ||||
3rd Generation | August 2003 | Transferred to Red Minibus Belvedere Garden - Causeway Bay Route then changed as 5LS2 since 2005 | LB8724 (2003 5LS) | |||
ED8639 | 1989 2nd Generation | March 2003 | Retired | Same Licence 2003 5LS | ||
EE3086 | Same Licence 2003 5LS | |||||
2003 5LS | March 2020 | Same Licence GMI Gemini (2020 3rd Generation) | ||||
EE8055 | 1989 2nd Generation | April 2003 | Same Licence 2003 5LS | |||
2003 5LS | April 2020 | Same Licence GMI Gemini (2020 3rd Generation) | ||||
EG4206 | 1989 2nd Generation | January 2003 | KV6936 (2003 5LS) | |||
EJ2864 | July 2003 | LB4320 (2003 5LS) | ||||
EJ8882 | 1990 2nd Generation | 2003 | Same Licence 2003 5LS | |||
2003 5LS | January 2018 | Same Licence GMI Gemini (2018 3rd Generation) | ||||
EL1433 | 1990 2nd Generation | June 2003 | LA4381 (2003 5LS) | |||
EM8882 | 2003 | Same Licence 2003 5LS | ||||
2003 5LS | April 2018 | Same Licence 2018 7LL | ||||
ES6651 | 1991 2nd Generation | December 2003 | LG2081 (2003 5LS) | |||
EU4486 | December 2004 | LG7602 (2004 5LS) | ||||
EW8997 | 2004 | Same Licence 2004 5LS | ||||
GC2105 | 1994 3rd Generation | July 2005 | Retired Licence Plate that belongs to 2005 5LS2 of Smart Champion Investments Kowloon Route 69/69A in July 2005 and 2020 7LL of Wymen Industrial New Territories Route 26/26A in April 2021 |
|||
GF8509 | 1995 3rd Generation | August 2005 | Retired | MA8879 (2005 5LS2) Then the licence Plate changed as MY8108 in November 2007 | ||
GX9677 | 1996 3rd Generation | September 2005 | Same Licence 2005 5LS2 | |||
GY952 | August 2005 | MA8677 (2005 5LS2) | ||||
GY2393 | October 2005 | Same Licence 2005 5LS2 | ||||
2005 5LS2 | October 2020 | Same Licence 2020 7LL | ||||
GY8635 | 1996 3rd Gemeration | November 2005 | Same Licence 2005 5LS2 | |||
HH9307 | 2nd Generation | 2003 | BB1392 (2003 5LS) | |||
KM6985 | 2004 5LS | 2023 | ||||
KS9939 | 2002 5LS | September 2005 | Transferred to Extra Billion Investment New Territories Route 77 Licence Plate currently belongs to 2020 7LL of Extra Billion Investment New Territories Route 140M |
EK2691 (2004 5LS2) | ||
KU1964 | October 2018 | Retired | VT8876 (2018 7LL) | |||
KV6936 | 2003 5LS | December 2019 | Same Licence 2019 7LL | |||
KZ1194 | June 2020 | WT2489 (2020 7LL) | ||||
LA392 | June 2018 | Same Licence 2018 7LL | ||||
LA4381 | Same Licence GMI Gemini (2018 3rd Generation) | |||||
LB4320 | July 2020 | WV3570 (2020 7LL) | ||||
LB8724 | August 2018 | VR3487 (2018 7LL) | ||||
LE5742 | September 2018 | VS9134 (2018 7LL) | ||||
LG2081 | December 2018 | Same Licence 2018 7LL | ||||
LG7602 | 2004 5LS | January 2020 | Same Licence 2020 7LL | |||
RN9056 | 2002 5LS | October 2020 | WZ3235 (2020 7LL) |
The information may not be complete and accurate, and are to be updated and modified by those who are willing to do so.
This section was last updated on 12/2024202412
Gallery[]
Related articles[]
Remarks[]
- ↑ Numbers placed after the model Toyota Coaster (if any) are only used within the transport enthusiasts, others (including the industry) does not use such names.
- ↑ That 3rd Generation was transferred to Peak Scenes Kowloon Route 18M then changed as LV7197 in September 2005.
- ↑ That 5LS was the first of TOYOTA Coaster minibus
Notes and References[]
- ↑ 新小巴預警系統「咇」醒司機 (New GMB warning system beeps drivers awake), Oriental Daily News, 3 November 2015.
- ↑ The first three green minibus operators in Hong Kong to set up an official Facebook page are Perfect Gold, Chit Fai Motors and Holy Gain, which were set up on 23 May 2012, 14 November 2014 and 7 April 2016 respectively.
- ↑ Related Facebook post