Calls for clearer branding of new taxi fleets

Hong Kong’s new taxi fleets, which are expected to commence service starting the end of this month, are already causing confusion among locals and tourists alike.

With their varied colors and designs, the five licensed fleets are proving hard to identify, sparking calls for clearer branding and better government promotion.

During a recent street survey in Mong Kok, the Sing Tao Daily, The Standard’s sister newspaper, found that most passersby, including locals, mainland and overseas visitors, struggled to distinguish the new fleet taxis.

“It’s really hard to tell them apart,” said Lin, a tourist from Foshan. 

He noted that while Hong Kong taxis are color-coded by districts – red for urban areas, green for the New Territories, and blue for Lantau Island—the addition of fleet colors like pink and orange left him baffled.

Lin also confused the luxurious black vehicles of the Big Boss Taxi fleet with Macau taxis. 

 “It’s very difficult for tourists to differentiate and I hope the Hong Kong government can promote these fleets more at border crossings, the airport, and the high-speed rail station,” he said.

Jiang, a tourist from Chengdu, shared similar sentiments, saying that many tourists gain impressions of Hong Kong taxis from TV programs, which are typically red.

“I don’t even know Hong Kong taxis are divided by districts and it’s hard to identify so many different colors,” she said.

South Korean tourist Kim, who previously studied in Guangzhou, said online-ride-hailing vehicles and taxis are distinct in mainland.

“In mainland, taxis have uniform colors and designs, making them easy to recognize while the taxi fleet in Hong Kong seems more like commercial cars than taxis,” Kim said.

Even locals are finding it tough to adjust, but some remain hopeful.

Ng, who takes taxis at least three to five times a week, said, “the variety of colors makes it hard to identify them at first, but most people will likely book them online anyway.”

He hoped the taxi fleets could improve the negative reputation of the local taxi industry.

(Ayra Wang)