Poll finds support for ride-hailing services

Over 95 percent of Hongkongers say they are satisfied with ride-hailing services, while roughly 45 percent are unhappy with the quality of traditional taxi services, according to a survey conducted by the New Youth Forum in early June.

The youth group has called on the government to legalize ride-hailing services in the city.

The survey, which included responses from around 800 Hongkongers aged 18 and above, found that over 70 percent support the legalization of ride-hailing platforms.

More than half of the respondents indicated they would prefer to use ride-hailing over traditional taxis if the fares were similar. Among respondents who had used both in the past year, about 60 percent said they were dissatisfied with the quality of taxi services.

However, more than half were in favor of the government's upcoming Taxi Fleet Licence scheme, believing it could help enhance taxi service quality.

Three-quarters of those surveyed also supported the introduction of a demerit points system for taxi drivers, which comes into effect in September. Drivers could be banned from driving a taxi for three months if they accumulate 15 demerit points or more within two years for malpractices such as overcharging, taking detours and refusing rides.

The youth group urged the government to legalize ride-hailing platforms and regulate the overall point-to-point transportation service.

Cliff Tang Wing-chun, a district councilor and the group's chairman, said: "The measures are necessary to keep up with technological advancements and better serve citizens and tourists.

"For example, when a tourist comes to Hong Kong, the first thing he might do is take a taxi - if we continue with the old service and attitude, we are not keeping up with society's advancement."

Scarlett Pong Oi-lan, the group's adviser and a district councilor, suggested a gradual approach to introducing competition in the market, and called for "government support to help taxis during the transition to provide higher-quality service."

The government has received 15 applications for the Taxi Fleet Licence, of which only five will be approved.

Speaking on a TV program yesterday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung acknowledged the poor service quality of taxis, but said: "The government is still considering how to regulate ride-hailing services, and may not have a conclusive decision by July."