More than 1,000 drivers apply to take written tests for new ride-hailing regulatory regime
More than 1,000 drivers have applied to take written tests required under new regulations for providing ride-hailing services such as Uber, the Transport Department has said. The department’s announcement was made on Monday as some of the legal provisions under the new laws for regulating ride-hailing services came into effect. Under the regulatory regime, the […]
Over 1,000 drivers have submitted applications to take written tests mandated by new regulations governing ride-hailing services like Uber in Hong Kong, according to the Transport Department. The announcement came as certain provisions of the new laws for regulating ride-hailing services began to take effect. Under the new regime, all ride-hailing drivers must possess a specific license, which can only be obtained by passing a test.
Notably, the test previously given to taxi drivers is now combined with the new test, meaning both ride-hailing and taxi drivers will undergo the same examination. The first round of the 45-minute written exams is scheduled for mid-September, with licenses to be issued in November. The ride-hailing service laws, enacted in October last year, stipulate that drivers caught transporting passengers for hire or reward without a permit will face disqualification from driving for anywhere between one to three years, along with a fine of up to HK$10,000 for a first offense.
Previously, the offense carried a maximum penalty of HK$5,000 and no driving disqualification. Some lawmakers, such as Roundtable lawmaker Mark Chong, noted that ride-hailing drivers may continue operating their services while they wait for their licenses, but suggested they could transition to taxi driving before acquiring their licenses later this year.
The popularity of ride-hailing services has surged in recent years as public dissatisfaction with taxi service standards has grown. Uber entered the Hong Kong market in 2014, but ride-hailing vehicles have consistently operated in a legal gray area due to the absence of specific legislation. The transportation industry in Hong Kong has long complained that ride-hailing platforms threaten the livelihoods of traditional taxi drivers.
Apart from ride-hailing drivers, ride-hailing platforms must also secure a license under the new regulations. Starting next August, when the regulatory regime is fully implemented, operators of ride-hailing platforms without a license will face a maximum fine of HK$1 million and up to one year in jail. The government has capped the number of ride-hailing permits at 10,000.
In response to the cap announcement, both Uber and mainland Chinese ride-hailing platform Didi stated that they are preparing their license applications.
Written by urgent.news from Hong Kong Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
