Lawmakers and industry leaders expressed concerns about potential tech-driven competition of the upcoming online same-day queue ticketing arrangement for the direct issuance of Hong Kong full driving licenses. They called for a dual-track system to ensure fair access to individual applicants and agents.
The remarks followed the Transport Department’s announcement that an online same-day ticketing system will replace the on-site arrangement due to increased demand from the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme, which has led to overnight queues for limited daily tokens outside its Admiralty licensing office.
Meanwhile, the on-site ticket distribution was canceled to prevent queueing and disturbance to other services.
Speaking on a radio program, Angela Lee Chung-yan, Commissioner for Transport, said that no queues were observed outside the office today after the new arrangement, allowing visitors to handle their general licensing applications.
Lee added that TD will work closely with the Digital Policy Office to integrate a bot recognition feature in the upcoming online system to ensure that logged-in users are legitimate individuals, preventing automated programs from seizing reservation slots.
Starting next Monday (Jan 12), the online system will commence at 7am every working day, providing 300 same-day tokens. Applicants or their agents can log into the designated website to obtain the tickets on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lee reminded that each online ticket allows submission of one direct-issue application for the designated applicant. Applicants are required to present an SMS message to verify their identity upon arrival to prevent ticket transfer or selling.
Lee said TD will introduce an online appointment system for handling the applications in March, with efforts to accelerate the preparations for an earlier launch if possible.
Lawmaker Ben Chan Hang-pan noted that the online same-day queue system may lead to technological competition. While it could avoid on-site conflicts, he acknowledged the possibility that tech-driven bots would replace traditional queuers.
Chan also highlighted the growing demand from mainland applicants due to the new Southbound Travel scheme, suggesting that the current allocation of 300 tickets is inadequate.
He said the main challenge remains verifying the authenticity of mainland licenses when handling the applications, recommending that authorities work with mainland departments for better system integration to combat counterfeiting.
Meanwhile, Ringo Lee Yiu-pui, honorary life president of the Hong Kong, China Automobile Association, praised the department for responding to public feedback promptly by introducing the online tickets as a fairer solution to address the misuse of on-site arrangements.
To prevent monopolization by agents, Lee recommended a dual-track system that differentiates tickets between “agents” and “individual applicant”. Individual quotas can be assigned to more accessible licensing offices, such as that in Sha Tin, to facilitate mainland applicants.
The dual-track system should remain flexible, in which the remaining quotas for one side can be adjusted to the alternative type of applicants, he added.
As for the online appointment system rolling out in March, Lee urged the department to retain a certain number of “same-day tickets” for individuals in urgent need of license renewal.
