The Transport Department (TD) announced today (May 29) that over $370 million of the subsidy under the first round of the Anti-epidemic Fund (Fund) has been disbursed to the transport trades, and that the subsidy scheme for public light buses, local ferries and taxis under the second round of the Fund is open for registration.

Green minibuses and local ferry operators

     For the purpose of retaining employment, the Government will provide a wage subsidy to the eligible employees of green minibus (GMB) and local ferry operators who are aged 65 or above and have not participated in Mandatory Provident Fund schemes. The Government would provide the operators with a monthly subsidy of $6,000 for each eligible employee for a period of six months (from June to November this year) for supporting the operators on salary payments. The subsidy will be disbursed in two tranches. The TD has started issuing letters and application forms to the GMB and local ferry operators today. Operators can submit an application for the first tranche of the subsidy from today until June 21. The subsidy will be disbursed through autopay in about two to three weeks upon completion of the verification process by the TD. The subsidy can help support the operators for the payment of staff wages from June to August 2020. The second tranche of the subsidy is expected to be disbursed in September 2020 and the application details will be announced in due course.
 
     Moreover, the second round of the Fund will provide a one-off non-accountable subsidy of $30,000 per GMB to the Passenger Service License (PSL) holders who have been approved to operate relevant packages of the GMB routes. Applications for the subsidy have commenced since late April. As of May 27, the TD has received about 150 applications (around 90 per cent of the PSL holders), involving about 3 000 GMBs. The TD has commenced the disbursement of the subsidy for verified applications from today.

Taxi and red minibus owners

     A one-off non-accountable subsidy of $30,000 per vehicle will be provided to each eligible registered owner of a taxi and a red minibus. The TD will be issuing letters to inform eligible registered owners of taxis and red minibuses of the detailed arrangements regarding registration for collection of the subsidy. Owners of taxis and red minibuses who have received the letters must use the registration PIN provided in the letters for submission of registrations through GovHK (www.gov.hk/oneoffsubsidy) from today until September 30. After successful completion of the registration, the subsidy will be disbursed to the designated local bank account provided in the registration through autopay in about two to three weeks. 
 
     As well, the TD has started issuing letters to inform eligible registered owners of non-franchised public buses, school private light buses and hire cars of the detailed arrangements for the subsidy under the second round of the Fund. A one-off non-accountable subsidy of $30,000 per vehicle will be provided to each eligible registered owner. The deadline for application is July 31.
 
     For details on the subsidies for transport trades under the Fund, please visit the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk).

Ends/Friday, May 29, 2020
Issued at HKT 18:20

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