Black sheep cabbies risk trust in Hong Kong going up in smoke

Ayra Wang

Transport Advisory Committee chairman Stephen Cheung Yan-leung has called for critical enhancements to point-to-point transport services, emphasizing that a few "black sheep" in the taxi industry could jeopardize Hong Kong's global reputation.

Cheung acknowledged yesterday that most taxi drivers deliver services that are professional.

However, he cautioned that a minority of "unscrupulous drivers" - known locally as "black cabs" - could undermine public trust.

He shared a personal experience from a decade ago when he boarded a smoke-filled taxi in Fo Tan.

"The moment I got in, the stench was unbearable," Cheung said, blaming the driver for smoking inside prior to picking him up.

"I entered through the left door and immediately exited via the other side."

Cheung also raised safety concerns, highlighting reports from friends about cab drivers playing mobile games while driving.

The Transport Department held discussions last week with representatives from the taxi trade and ride-hailing platforms to consider a regulatory framework for online ride-hailing services.

Cheung said the time is right to strike a balance between market competition and passenger safety.

He announced that the committee will develop short, medium and long-term solutions to enhance the quality of point-to-point services this year.

Despite approval for measures such as installing cameras and fleet upgrades, he said complaints have not decreased in the committee's quarterly reviews.

Similar measures in Macau and Shenzhen led to a 90 percent drop in complaints, and delays in following through with the approvals led Cheung to voice a warning.

"Implementation delays are frustrating progress. Once rolled out, we expect swift results," Cheung said.