The Transport Department today announced today that official Taxi Fleet Licences will be issued to all five taxi fleets in July.

The issuance of the licences means the fleets can build confidence with the public and marks an important step in reforming the taxi trade, the department added. 

The five operators have been conducting trial operations after being granted provisional Taxi Fleet Licences in July last year. They have provided nearly 120,000 trips to date.

Stressing that public feedback on the taxi fleets has been positive, the Transport Department said that, after careful consideration, it had decided to adopt a flexible licensing approach in order to benefit the public as soon as possible in terms of service provision. It added that that more and more passengers will come to know and use taxi fleet service upon their official launch. 

The department elaborated that this in turn will provide fleet drivers with more stable income, thereby attracting more taxi drivers to join the fleets.

After the licences are issued, the five fleets will be able to use about 80 designated taxi fleet stopping places in 13 locations to pick up passengers on pre-booked trips. The locations include the airport, certain cross-boundary control points and various tourist hotspots.

Since being issued with their provisional licences, the five operators have been procuring new vehicles, carrying out modifications, installing in-vehicle safety devices, setting up electronic payment systems, developing and testing online hailing applications and training drivers.

Additionally, they have implemented various measures to recruit taxi owners and drivers, such as participating in thematic job fairs, hosting fleet introduction sessions and recruitment events, and organising activities to showcase new taxi models.

The Transport Department will closely monitor the performances of the fleets to ensure their services meet public expectations.