The Hong Kong government has laid out a proposal to require all cabbies to install in-car surveillance cameras, GPS, dashcams and electronic payment systems over the next two years in a bid to raise the service quality and image of the taxi sector.
Authorities are aiming to table an amendment bill in the second quarter of 2025 and bring the new requirement into force in 2026, according to a government document submitted to the legislature on Monday.
The proposal came after a new penalty points system came into force in September, which penalises malpractice such as overcharging and service refusals. Any drivers incurring 15 or more points in two years will be disqualified.
According to a document submitted on Monday, the proposal for in-car CCTV would ease the handling of disputes between drivers and passengers. Outward facing dashcams and GPS would also be required under the proposal with authorities aiming for all taxis to complete the set-up within 2026.
The plan would also require taxis to provide at least two forms of electronic payment – including Quick Response (QR) code payments and non-QR code payments – as authorities called the use of such technology “the general trend.” All cabs are expected to provide such payment options by the end of 2025.
Taxi sector seeks subsidy
The government suggested that the taxi owners bear the costs of installing the new devices and their maintenance, as they were the “major stakeholder” of the sector.
The government said the Transport Department had arranged meetings with the sector since October and also consulted the Committee on Taxi Service Quality. The sector welcomed the proposals, the government said, but they hoped for government subsidies citing economic woes facing the industry.
The sector also raised concerns about old drivers having difficulty adapting to new electronic payments and urged the government to promote the installation of such new technologies rather than introducing a compulsory requirement, according to the document.
But the government said it would take a long time to promote and popularise electronic payments among cabbies. It added that authorities would provide workshops with various electronic payment platforms to drivers before the new rules came into effect.
The legislature’s panel on transport is set to discuss the proposals on Friday.
Complaints against taxi services rose by more than 90 per cent between 2020 and 2022, from 1,238 to 2,397, the government said last April.
The government has introduced a raft of initiatives to “reform” the taxi industry since last July. Apart from toughening penalties, it also rolled out a scheme for taxi fleets, which are expected to begin operations in the coming year.
