Retirement of KMB Dennis Lance “Airbus”

KMB introduced Dennis Lance single-deck buses in 1993. They became the only type of bus to provide airport bus services for both Kai Tak and Chek Lap Kok Airports, having the highest passenger capacity among all single-deck buses in Hong Kong. Dennis Lance buses served many areas of Hong Kong, including Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories and Lantau Island, witnessing the development of KMB’s bus fleet over the last two decades. All remaining Dennis Lance buses will be withdrawn from the KMB bus fleet this year.

In the early 1990s, KMB progressively developed and strengthened its air-conditioned bus services. In 1993, the number of air-conditioned buses increased to 598, representing 19% of the entire fleet. In the same year, KMB introduced 24 Dennis Lance air-conditioned single-deck buses, the first type of large single-deck buses, being 11.7 metres in length and having a relatively low one-step entrance. 12 of the buses designed with a single doorway were equipped with luggage racks, 41 velvet seats and room for 18 standees. They were deployed on Airbus Routes A2 [Airport – Central (Macau Ferry)] and A3 [Airport – Causeway Bay (Circular)], with the aim of replacing Dennis Falcon single-deck buses on the same routes. This arrangement tied in with the opening of a new Airbus Centre in 1994 and plans to upgrade KMB’s Airbus services. The Airbus Centre, located at the Airport Transport Terminus, provided bus service information and coin exchange services. Due to the infrastructural limitations of Kai Tak Airport, double-deck buses could not access the level on which the departure hall was located and so only single-deck buses were scheduled to operate on KMB’s Airbus services.

Another 12 Dennis Lance buses were fitted with dual doors and had 45 seats and room for 33 standees. They were mainly deployed on urban express routes and fully air-conditioned routes such as 30X, 203E and 238X. In the 1990s, Dennis Lance buses broke the record for the highest passenger capacity among all single-deck buses in Hong Kong. In comparison with the Toyota and Mitsubishi coaches in the KMB bus fleet, Dennis Lance buses could carry 54 and 33 more passengers respectively. A wide entrance and a more spacious compartment provided passengers with more comfortable bus journeys on the Dennis Lance.

Bus Captain Chan Wai-hung, who drove Dennis Lance buses on Routes A2 and A3, said, “When I drove a Dennis Lance Airbus for the first time, I remember it was more comfortable, smooth and steady to drive compared with other bus types in the 1990s, such as the Dennis Falcon. This was because the driving seat of the Dennis Lance was lower. Besides, its logo design was very beautiful and delicate. Many bus enthusiasts loved to take photos of Dennis Lance buses near the airport. On the eve of the closure of Kai Tak Airport, many people actually swarmed to the airport to capture photographic memories.”

Since the closure of Kai Tak Airport on 6 July 1998, ten Dennis Lance buses previously running on Airbus routes were transferred to operate on airport shuttle routes between Chek Lap Kok Airport and Tung Chung, such as S1, S64, and on shuttle routes for Hong Kong Disneyland, such as R8. In recent years, most of the Dennis Lance buses have run on Northern New Territories routes like 78K, 273, 273A and 278K.

There are now about 3,900 buses in KMB’s bus fleet, with 160 single-deck buses, which represent around 4% of the total. 11 Dennis Lance buses still remain in the KMB bus fleet while Long Win Bus Company still have two. All of them are expected to be withdrawn from service this year.

A Dennis Lance bus (front) and a Dennis Falcon bus parked at the Airbus Terminus of Kai Tak Airport in 1993

A Dennis Lance bus near the entrance of the Cross Harbour Tunnel in the mid 1990s

A Dennis Lance bus ran between Chek Lap Kok Airport and Tung Chung in the late 1990s

Bus Captain Chan Wai-hung with a photo of a Dennis Lance “Airbus” taken in 1993