Editing New World First Bus (section)

=== Bidding for franchise ===
In February 1998, the government announced the franchise for all 140 routes operated by CMB would not be reviewed when it expired 31 August that year. Eighty-eight of the routes were placed to open tender, 12 routes were transferred directly to Citybus, one [[Victoria Harbour|cross-harbour]] route to [[Kowloon Motor Bus]], and the remaining routes were cancelled.<ref>[http://www.info.gov.hk/isd/news/dib/0217.htm Daily Information Bulletin] [[Information Services Department]] 17 February 1998</ref><ref>[http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr97-98/english/panels/tp/minutes/tp210298.htm Panel on Transport (Minutes)] [[Provisional Legislative Council]] 21 February 1998</ref>

Six companies lodged bids:<ref>[http://www.cki.com.hk/english/whatsNew/1998/19980313.htm CKI Forms Consortium To Bid for Bus Tender] Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings 13 March 1998</ref><ref>[http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/bus-groups-battle-for-hong-kong-tender-1.350347 Bus groups battle for Hong Kong tender] ''[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]]'' 14 March 1998</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Proposed Name
!Previous Shareholders
!Current
|-
| rowspan="2" |Affluent Dragon Island Limited
|[[China Motor Bus]] (50%)
| rowspan="2" |
|-
|[[Stagecoach Group]] ({{LSE|SGC}}) (50%)
|-
| rowspan="2" |Argos Bus
|Argos Enterprise (Holdings) ({{sehk|8022}}) (50%)
|
|-
|[[HKR International]] (50%)
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |Hong Kong Public Bus Co Limited
|Dah Chong Hong ({{sehk|267}})(70%)
| rowspan="2" |Kwoon Chung Bus
|-
|Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings ({{sehk|306}}) (30%)
|-
| rowspan="4" |Hong Kong United Bus Limited
|[[Citybus (Hong Kong)|Citybus Group]] (35%)
| rowspan="4" |[[Bravo Transport]]
|-
|[[CK Infrastructure Holdings|Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings]] ({{sehk|1038}}) (35%)
|-
|China Travel International Investment Hong Kong ({{sehk|308}}) (25%)
|-
|CNT Group ({{sehk|701}}) (5%)
|-
|Hong Kong Motor Bus
|[[Transport International|Kowloon Motor Bus Holdings]] ({{sehk|62}}), now known as Transport International
|[[Transport International]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |New World First Bus
|[[NWS Holdings]] ({{sehk|659}}) (74%)
| rowspan="2" |[[Bravo Transport]]
|-
|[[FirstGroup]] ({{lse|FGP}}) (26%)
|}
NWS Holdings was considered a [[dark horse]] as it was the only bidder with no local bus operation experience. However, NWS Holdings was awarded a replacement franchise in March 1998 with commitments of new facilities, improved service standards and employment of CMB staff. During the handover in mid-1998, NWFB faced a lot of difficulties since CMB was reluctant to cooperate. NWFB commenced operating at midnight on 1 September 1998 after a series of negotiations and with help from the government. However NWFB had already started its operation of other non-overnight routes at midnight as CMB refused to operate after that time.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140311211026/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/uk-bus-operator-wins-pounds-55m-franchise-1153789.html UK bus operator wins £55m franchise] ''[[The Independent]]'' 1 April 1998</ref><ref name="LegCouncil31Jul98">[http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr98-99/english/panels/tp/papers/tp3107-4.htm Panel on Transport (Papers)] Legislative Council Panel on Transport 31 July 1998</ref>