Over 200 taxi drivers penalized under demerit points system, Mable Chan says

A total of 229 taxi drivers have incurred penalty points under the Taxi-Driver-Offence Points System, with more than half of the offenses involving fare refusal, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said.

As of August, the Transport Department had received 5,944 complaints about taxi drivers, including 605 cases involving fare refusal.

The department investigates complaints and refers cases to law enforcement agencies where appropriate.

Chan said three drivers who accumulated 15 or more penalty points had their taxi-driving licenses suspended for three months since the system was introduced in September 2024.

Separately, lawmakers raised concerns about the service boundaries of different taxi categories, saying New Territories residents faced difficulties hailing New Territories taxis during peak hours and were sometimes refused by urban taxi drivers.

Chan said Hong Kong currently has more than 18,000 registered taxis, including 2,838 New Territories taxis.

She said demand for New Territories taxis remained stable and that retaining the service was necessary to ensure adequate transport options for residents in rural and remote areas.

Chan added that the government would continue to review operating arrangements and service boundaries in response to changing transport needs, including those arising from the development of the Northern Metropolis.

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