Gov’t to stipulate minimum taxi operating hours

In response to accusations that taxis have become “exclusive shuttles” for some casinos, the government said it will consider imposing minimum hours that taxis should run.
In a press conference on the would-be taxi law, the head of the Transport Bureau (DSAT) Mr Wong Wan said, “We heard about those cases from different sectors of society, but we don’t have actual evidence at this moment.” The Director stressed that the new document should help taxi services to return to their original function – to serve the public. He said that the government had to consult the industry and other sectors about the problem.  Meanwhile, the authority will also consider certain measures: “For example, when receiving applications for a new taxi license, we can require the taxi to operate for a certain number of hours,” he said. However, Wong explained that their current focus is on the errant behaviors on the street. “At the moment, the most urgent issue for daily operations is the wrongdoings such as fare refusal and overcharging.” In addition, Wong pointed out the absence of regulations over operating hours. “We would also like to regulate taxi operating hours through making a new law this time,” he said.
The Director of the Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAJ) Mr André Cheong agreed with Wong, saying that the current regulations for taxi services did not foresee the problem which was the reduced number of taxis on the streets. He proposed that the authority issuing taxi licenses should require taxis to ensure a minimum number of operating hours except under “acceptable circumstances”.
Responding to fears from society and industry that installation of recording devices, proposed in the draft bill, would violate drivers’ and passengers’ privacy, Mr Cheong clarified while referring to local laws, that taxis are not viewed as “private space”. He stressed that there will be clear signs reminding passengers of the sound-recording devices in the car. He confirmed that the recordings are in a “highly secured system” to which only authorized organizations have access.
Cheong reiterated that “entrapment” (sending undercover people to test taxi drivers) should be “passive”. “Undercover agents should not take the initiative to lure taxi drivers into committing wrongdoings,” according to Cheong. But the DSAJ also noticed that some visitors have the habit of asking the price before they get into a taxi. Cheong said even if customers offer a higher price, taxi drivers should not accept. “Because a taxi is a supervised public service, it should charge according to the laws,” in this case, the driver has the right to refuse fares, according to Cheong.
The government said it would cover expenses of the installation and maintenance of mobile recording devices.
The public consultation is underway. It will end on September 23.

Grace Yu