JOIE taxi fleet faces bumpy start in trial operation

Among the five licensed taxi fleets, "JOIE" officially commenced its trial operation last evening, involving a total of 200 taxis. Citizens are now able to book rides with a lead time ranging from one hour to 24 hours in advance.

A reporter from Sing Tao Daily, a sister publication of The Standard, conducted a practical evaluation this morning (April 1). The reporter attempted to arrange a ride for 9am with one hour's notice, traveling from Wong Tai Sin to Tseung Kwan O, with the fare commencing at HK$159.7.

Despite eight booking attempts starting at 8am, none were successful, with the reporter being charged for all attempts. It is stated that refunds would be processed within seven working days following the cancellation.

During the process, the reporter tried different options such as the "standard four-seater" and the "premium six-seat taxi," but all bookings were canceled stating the time slot was fully booked.

Limited vehicles during peak hours

Upon calling the customer service hotline as a customer, the reporter is told that there were fewer vehicles for the match during morning peak hours as the system had only launched the night before, encouraging more attempts for a better chance.

With the help of customer service, the reporter successfully paired with a driver at 8.45am and boarded at 9.30am.

Price comparison

The fare for the ride from Wong Tai Sin to Tseung Kwan O was HK$159.7 for the "standard four-seater" and HK$173.6 for the "premium six-seat taxi."

Meanwhile, "UberX" and "Uber Taxi" charged HK$164.6 and HK$169.5 respectively for the same ride with a four-seater, whilst "UberXL" cost HK$231.4 for a six-seat option, nearly a third more than JOIE.

While "Amap taxi" offered a four-seater ride for HK$130.9, making it the cheapest option among the car ride-hailing service, its 6-seat option ranged from HK$229 to HK$260, comparable to "UberXL."

Aaron Ng Hoi-shan, managing director at Tai Wo Management, the parent company of JOIE, noted he would encourage drivers to accept orders through JOIE, stressing there would be no prohibition on using other online ride-hailing platforms.

Regarding the policy of allowing reservations at least one hour in advance and the relatively small number of vehicles, Ng indicated that the arrangement was hoping to offer the public an opportunity to experience the service, particularly for those carrying bulky luggage and wheelchairs.

Although the fleet is currently operating under a conditional temporary approval notice, Ng expressed hope that the fleet's establishment costs will be recovered within the next five years.

(Phoebe Poon)