The Transport Department said today that the city’s new taxi fleet system is working well, with over 95% of passengers providing positive feedback on the fleets’ introduction.
More than 2,000 fleet taxis and about 2,400 fleet taxi drivers are now providing services, and had made approximately 4.2 million trips as of the end of May. Fleet services, provided by five fleets – SynCab, Big Boss Taxi, Amigo, Big Bee Taxi and Joie – commenced in phases last year.
The department said the fleets have provided a wider selection of vehicle models, newer vehicles, spacious and tidy compartments, and courteous drivers, resulting in quality travel experiences for both local passengers and visitors.
It added that it has been active in promoting the development of taxi fleets and rendering all-round assistance to fleet operators in solving operational challenges. This has included engaging drivers and taxi owners and upholding service standards.
The department has also liaised with banks to arrange assistance for taxi owners to apply to the “Dedicated 100% Loan Guarantee Scheme for Battery Electric Taxis”. Over 200 applications have been facilitated, increasing the number of electric vehicles in fleets.
In addition, the department has coordinated with power companies and charging facility operators to optimise charging infrastructure for taxi fleets. Together, the fleets and charging operators offer over 160 charging service points across the territory to support the sector.
Meanwhile, 95 dedicated fleet taxi stopping places have been introduced cross 16 locations, including the airport, some boundary control points, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, some Airport Express stations, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Phase II, the Exhibition Centre Station Public Transport Interchange, M+ Museum, and the Hong Kong Port Area of the new Huanggang Port.
The five fleets have also implemented various measures to recruit drivers and taxi owners. The average age of drivers across the five fleets is 47, much lower than the industry average of 60. Moreover, 20% of fleet drivers are aged between 30 and 39, bringing a fresh outlook to the trade.
Furthermore, “Easy Ride”, an aggregated platform for all five fleets, has recorded over 400,000 visits, with over 10,000 taxis connecting to the platform. Nearly 40% of orders were completed by taxi fleets, demonstrating that the fleets are attracting passengers from multiple sources.
The department remarked that it monitors taxi fleets’ service quality closely. With fleet operators implementing effective driver management, the number of complaints received is lower than that for non-fleet taxis. The accident rate is also lower.
