Ladies only: KMB route driven solely by female drivers

In a first for Hong Kong, KMB has earmarked a bus route which will be served exclusively by female drivers. The franchised bus operator is also adding more female-friendly staff facilities in the hope of attracting more women to join its ranks. Starting this month, KMB's route 69 between Tin Shui Wai and Yuen Long will be handled by 11 female bus captains. A second such route is also on the pipeline. A new resting room installed at the Tin Shui Wai terminus was also designed with female users in mind. It includes a changing room and a full-length mirror. Douglas Mak, head of operations at the company's Tuen Mun depot, said the bus operator is keen to smash a common stereotype that female drivers are not as good on the roads. He added that women currently make up eight percent of KMB's 10,000 drivers. The company's goal is to increase this to 10 percent.