The Transport Department announced today that applications for the subsidy scheme for public light buses, local ferries and taxis under the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund have opened.

Green minibus and local ferry operators will be provided with a monthly subsidy of $6,000 for each employee aged 65 or above who has not participated in Mandatory Provident Fund schemes for a period of six months.

The subsidy for supporting the operators on salary payments will be disbursed in two tranches.

From today until June 21, green minibus and local ferry operators who have received the department's letters and application forms can submit an application for the first tranche of the subsidy.

The subsidy will be disbursed through autopay in about two to three weeks upon completion of the verification. The subsidy can support the operators in paying staff wages from June to August 2020.

The second tranche of the subsidy is expected to be disbursed in September.

The second round of the fund will provide a one-off non-accountable subsidy of $30,000 per green minibus to the Passenger Service License holders who have been approved to operate relevant green minibus route packages.

As of May 27, the department has received 150 applications involving 3,000 green minibuses. It started disbursement of the subsidy for verified applications today.

A one-off non-accountable subsidy of $30,000 per vehicle will be provided to each registered owner of a taxi and a red minibus.

From today until September 30, taxi and red minibus owners who have received the department's letters must use the registration PIN provided in the letters for submission of registrations through GovHK.

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.

The department has started issuing letters to inform 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 registered owner. The application deadline is July 31.

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