Contingency Arrangements in Times of Rainstorm Warnings

Notes to Users

1) All Rehabus services would remain normal when the Hong Kong Observatory issues an Amber or Red Rainstorm Signal. When the Hong Kong Observatory issues a Black Rainstorm Signal (“Black Signal”), for the safety of all the users and captains, all services will be halted until the Black Signal is cancelled. Please refer to Section 8 below for particular arrangements for each service line.

2) After the Black Signal is cancelled, our services will be resumed as soon as possible, even if a Red Rainstorm Signal (“Red Signal”) is in force.

3) The effect of a rainstorm on the traffic conditions may vary among different areas. There may be serious traffic congestion caused by flooding in certain places. As a result, the arrival times of the vehicles would be delayed and/or the routes would have to be changed. Your understanding and patience would be highly appreciated. In case the boarding/pick-up times and places need to be changed, our captains would contact the users of such temporary arrangements whenever necessary.

4) When Hong Kong Observatory issues a Black Signal, our captains will communicate with the passengers/on-board users and try to take them to safe locations (i.e. the boarding places or destinations) under the circumstances where the weather and traffic conditions are acceptable.

5) We recommend users to keep contact with the captains and pay attention to the news/ weather reports/announcements from the Hong Kong Observatory and the Transport Department so as to decide their own transport arrangements based on their own situations and personal safety. Users may determine whether or not to use Rehabus service. If users decide not to use the service, please inform our captains as soon as possible. No matter Rehabus can provide the service as scheduled or not, we shall not be responsible for any incident(s) occurred before the users have boarded and/or after they have alighted from our vehicle(s).

6) When services are resumed as usual, users should wait and keep patience in safe places as the traffic conditions and the re-scheduling may take some time. Our duty officer(s) or captain(s) would contact the users for the necessary make-up arrangements.

7) For enquiries regarding the contingency arrangements, please call our service hotline 2817-8154 or visit our website: http://www.rehabsociety.org.hk (select [Our Services][Transport & Travel][Rehabus Service]).

8) Contingency Arrangements for each particular Rehabus service:

8.1) Dial-a-Ride Service 【applicable to “Black Rain”】

In force at or before the appointed time Services would be suspended until the warning signal is cancelled
Issued during journey Our captains would try their best to take the passengers/on-board users to safe locations as quickly as possible. For users who have not boarded the vehicles, our captains would call and inform them about the trip cancellation.
  • After the Hong Kong Observatory has cancelled the Black Signal, our service will be resumed as usual as soon as possible. Besides, in accordance with requests from those users who have not used the service because of the rainstorm warning, we would try our best to re-arrange service(s) for them, but they would be charged for another booking.
  • When the Hong Kong Observatory issues an Amber or Red Rainstorm Signal, Users should inform Rehabus Office or the captain as early as possible if changing or cancellation of the journey is needed. We would still charge the fee(s) as listed in the “Rehabus Charge Table”. If the users wish to apply for a waiver, the application will be processed according to “Dial-a-Ride Service Surcharges and Waiving Mechanism”.

8.2) Scheduled Route Service
8.2.1) Morning Trips

Type / time of the Rainstorm Warning in force To work To school / sheltered workshop
“Black Rain”
Cancelled before 0615 Pick up and take users to work as usual Pick up and take users to schools/workshops as usual.
If the Hong Kong Observatory still issues a “Red Rain” at 0615, users to special schools or sheltered workshops should pay attention to the Government’s announcements as these organizations would normally stop their services when a “Red Rain” is in force.
Still in force at 0615 Service would be suspended – morning trips of Scheduled Route Service would be cancelled.
Issued during journey Our captains would try their best to take the on-board users to safe locations as quickly as possible. For users who have not boarded the vehicles, our captains would call and inform them about the trip cancellation.

8.2.2) Afternoon Trips

Type / time of the Rainstorm Warning in force To work To school / sheltered workshop
“Red Rain”
In force before the return trip Service remains as usual.
“Black Rain”
In force before the return trip Service would be suspended until the signal is cancelled.  After the Hong Kong Observatory has cancelled the Black Signal, we would try our best to arrange vehicles to serve the afternoon trips’ users of Scheduled Route Service.

If the pick-up time and locations would differ from the original because of the rainstorm, our captains would inform the users of such arrangements.  In case the users do not accept such special arrangement, the transportation service will be cancelled automatically.

Issued during the return trip Our captains would try their best to take the on-board passengers to safe locations as quickly as possible. For users who have not boarded the vehicles, our captains would call and inform them about the trip cancellation.

8.3) Pooled Dial-a-Ride Service
8.3.1) Trips on Friday, Sunday and Monday:
Arrival time of the first stop is at or before 1430 【applicable to “Black Rain”】

Friday (return home) Sunday (return to centre) Monday (return to centre)
Cancelled at or before 0615 Service remains as usual
Cancelled at or before 1200 We will inform users of the arrangements within 2 hours
Still in force after 1200 Service for the day would be cancelled. In accordance with the requests from those users who have not used the service because of the rainstorm warning, we would try our best to arrange vehicles for them to use on the following day, after the Hong Kong Observatory has cancelled the “Red Rain”. Our duty officer or captains would inform the users of the pick up schedule. In case the users do not accept the pick up schedule, the transportation service will be cancelled automatically.

8.3.2) Trips on Friday, Sunday and Monday:
Arrival time of the first stop is after 1430【applicable to “Black Rain”】

Friday (return home) Sunday (return to centre) Monday (return to centre)
In force at or before

the arrival time of the first stop

Service for the day would be cancelled. In accordance with requests from those users who have not used the service because of the rainstorm warning, we would try our best to arrange vehicles for them to use on the following day, after the Hong Kong Observatory has cancelled the “Red Rain”. Our duty officer or captains would inform the users of the pick up schedule. In case the users do not accept the pick up schedule, the transportation service will be cancelled automatically.

8.3.3) Trips on Saturday 【applicable to “Black Rain”】

Saturday (return home)
Cancelled at or before 0615 Service remains as usual.
Still in force after 0615 Service for the day would be cancelled. If the Hong Kong Observatory cancels the Black Signal later that day, our duty officer or captains would contact the users. If the users need the Pooled Dial-a-Ride service on that day, we would try to make necessary arrangements depending on the actual operational procedures. In case the users do not accept the pick up schedule, the transportation service will be cancelled automatically.

8.3.4) If the Pooled Dial-a-Ride Service on Fridays and Saturdays (return home) is affected by the Black Signal, we would provide make-up Pooled Dial-a-Ride Service after the signal is cancelled.  Considering that the users may have other arrangements or may stay at the centres, we would contact each individual user to confirm the arrangements of the trips (return to centre) for the following Sundays or Mondays. Service would be arranged according to the original schedule of the trips for Sundays or Mondays (return to centre) if necessary.