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A government proposal to tighten health checks for taxi and minibus drivers aged 65 and above could lead to an exodus of workers from the industry and worsen the current driver shortage, transport sector representatives warned.
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But a specialist in geriatric medicine said the current medical criteria laid out by authorities are "too simplistic," supporting the tightened and standardized checkups.
The chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association, Chow Kwok-keung, said that some drivers may find that it is too much hassle to fulfill the proposed tightened checks.
The government proposal, scheduled for discussion at the Legislative Council's transport panel on Friday, involves lowering the age threshold for mandatory annual health checks for commercial drivers to those who are aged 65 and above, down from the current 70.
Concerns about age limits and health checks arose in March, when an 84-year-old taxi driver lost control of his cab and knocked over three pedestrians at a busy junction in North Point.
But Chow said elderly drivers would feel "labeled" by the health checks.
"Most of them take up driving jobs just for leisure," he said. "If these drivers are required to do body checks every year and disclose underlying health conditions, they may feel uncomfortable."
Chairman of the Public Light Bus General Association Ling Chi-keung said more than 70 percent of minibus drivers are retired from previous jobs and are above 65 years of age, adding that the tightened regulations would drive them out of the already short-handed industry.
Chow also said the drivers would face long queues at public hospitals for the checkups, expressing concern that the checkup process would be too complicated.
The Transport Department's health declaration states medical practitioners are advised to take into account several health criteria including hearing and eyesight, as well as motor function and mental state, but they reportedly only conduct a cursory checkup with drivers.
Lawmakers and transport sector unionists earlier proposed setting up designated government-subsidized clinics for drivers with standardized health criteria and procedures.
Geriatrician Paul Shea Tat-ming supported the proposal to tighten health checks, saying the current scope of medical exams recommended by the Transport Department is too simplistic.
He said some conditions should also be included in the checkups, such as whether drivers have had a stroke or have diabetes or joint problems, as well as whether they are on medication.
"Through these checkups, I hope drivers can identify underlying health conditions that they weren't originally aware of," he said.
Roundtable lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun also supported the tightened checks, saying the new system would only require extra checks for drivers more susceptible to health issues - meaning it would only affect a small portion of drivers.
"I understand that tightening the requirements could be an additional burden for vehicle drivers, but I believe the administration will hold discussions with the industry on subsidies," he added.
