The conflict between Hong Kong's taxi industry and ride-hailing "pak pai" services has intensified recently. The Transport Advisory Committee and the Transport Department recently met with representatives from both the taxi industry and ride-hailing platforms to gather feedback on regulating these services.

Committee chairman Stephen Cheung expressed hope that insights from various stakeholders would help identify common ground and balance, aiming to establish short- and long-term plans this year to provide quality point-to-point transport services for Hong Kong.

Cheung noted that discussions about ride-hailing platforms have been ongoing for years. With the entry of these platforms increasing competition, the taxi industry's business has been further challenged by economic factors. He emphasized that it is time to explore how to regulate these platforms to ensure compliance with the law.

The committee has met with multiple taxi groups and ride-hailing representatives to collect opinions on regulation. Cheung described the process as smooth, noting the variety of views expressed, although some groups were absent. He mentioned that taxi groups have reached a consensus and hope for good communication among all parties, believing that even minimal common ground can serve as a foundation for developing short- and long-term solutions.

The government has previously introduced measures to enhance taxi service quality, including a fleet management system and a points system for driver violations. Cheung indicated that the committee would issue traffic complaint reports every three months, observing that complaints related to taxis have not yet decreased. He hopes that implementing fleet measures will help reduce these complaints. He cited examples from Macao and Shenzhen, where the installation of in-car cameras led to a 90% drop in complaints, expressing hopes that Hong Kong's taxi service quality can gradually meet public expectations.

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