Radio Taxi receives 10,000 orders daily with 300 vehicles

The number of orders and reservations for online taxi hailing have significantly increased with more than 10,000 orders per day.

However, there are only 300 Radio Taxis operating in the city, showing a severe lack of supply given the increasing demand, according to general manager of Macau Radio Taxi Wong Pui Kuan.

Wong said the firm has “encountered many challenges in their six years of operation” and is continuously reviewing and improving its internal management and operational capabilities.

Previously, the taxi operator expressed support for more taxi licenses as demand cannot be met even with all the company’s 300 taxis in full operation.

Relying on a fleet of seven-seater vehicles, the company has been popular among family tourists, which account for a majority of visitors to Macau.

In August, the Transport Bureau (DSAT) said there was room for improvement in e-hailing taxi services, as online ride hailing service platforms, such as Didi or Uber, are not legal in Macau.

Amid Macau’s taxi shortage saga, Macau’s taxi drivers have expressed opposition to any return of ride hailing services to the SAR.

Tony Kuok of the Macau Taxi Driver Mutual Association said that reintroducing ride hailing services would cause unacceptable market upheaval.

This comes as the city faces a taxi shortage after the reopening of the borders.

Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng has previously said the government had checked the law and found no space for such services, “unless a lot of laws are amended.”

Last week, the SAR government launched a public tender for ordinary eight-year taxi licenses for 500 new taxis. The tender, slated to end Nov. 23, will allow companies to bid for packs of 10 licenses, with each company allowed to apply for up to 50 taxis.

Further, the Bank of China Macau signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Macau Radio Taxi to upgrade the existing taxi hailing mobile application and will launch “Dialing PLUS” in December, gradually adding functions such as booking ferry tickets, air tickets and hotels. Staff Reporter