Taxi drivers put on notice as Hong Kong government brings in stiffer penalties to combat city’s notoriously bad service
Government acts to combat city’s notoriously bad service with list of offences that could get taxi drivers in trouble including, taking a longer route than necessary, overcharging or refusing a fare
Taxi drivers in Hong Kong who repeatedly overcharge or refuse fares will get bigger fines and more time in jail, as the government cracks down on the industry’s notoriously bad service.
Besides heavier penalties, the Transport and Housing Bureau confirmed on Wednesday it would roll out a demerit point system for cabbies but only for 11, instead of 18 offences as previously proposed. Drivers who accumulate 15 or more points within two years could lose their licence for three to six months.
The move came after years of complaints of shoddy service by drivers of the city’s 18,163 taxis, despite the threat of penalties stipulated by the city’s laws.
Complaints about cabs accounted for close to half of all gripes received by the Transport Complaints Unit from 2013 to last year, while in the same time period, the police launched about 1,200 prosecutions each year relating to taxi offences.
“In view of the concern of the community on taxi service quality in recent years, and rising complaints on taxi drivers’ malpractices, the government has reviewed the current penalties … with a view to strengthening the deterrent effect and enhancing taxi service quality,” the bureau said.
