The SAR government issued five taxi fleet licenses last year, providing over 3,500 taxis, which accounts for about 20% of the total number of taxis in the city. One of these fleets, the fleet of Sino Development (International) Company Limited, was represented by its operations manager, Wong Tai-hoi, who revealed this morning (March 5) on a radio program that each of the five fleets currently has its independent booking app.
Wong's fleet, he said, plans to establish a call center and will coordinate with other fleets when necessary to provide more convenient services.
Wong also stated that the fleet's pricing model will be flexible, allowing passengers to negotiate fares with drivers. The app will also offer a "fixed price" option, enabling passengers to suggest prices that will be adjusted based on market demand. He emphasized that citizens should not overly focus on price increases, calling it a "misplaced concern."
He further noted that the fleet is set to officially start operations before July and is actively recruiting drivers, while providing training and inviting individual taxi owners to join. Additionally, the fleet is assessing the distribution of charging stations in Hong Kong to ensure the smooth operation of future electric taxis.
Wong stressed that drivers need to be familiar with the fleet's service requirements and complaint mechanisms to enhance overall service quality. He believes recruiting drivers will not be difficult, as there are currently 63,000 members, and transitioning from self-employment to fleet management is "just changing the rules of the game," posing no major challenge.
He disclosed that the fleet will feature 1,000 premium taxis, including 100 wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and five equipped with defibrillators for emergency medical situations. The fleet will also introduce several innovative technologies, including GPS, dashcams, and driver monitoring systems, referred to as the "three safety treasures," combined with AI technology. When passengers enter the vehicle, drivers will conduct breath tests to ensure there is no drug or alcohol impairment. The system will also monitor for driver fatigue, further ensuring road safety.
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