Hong Kong cab-hailing platform HKTaxi has announced it will cease operations in April, asking riders to switch to the Uber app, its parent company.
In a notice issued on its app on Monday, HKTaxi said they would be gradually suspending users’ accounts.
The platform, founded in 2013 as one of the first taxi-hailing apps in the city, will cease operations on April 1.
HKTaxi is encouraging its users to migrate to Uber, offering newly registered users from its platform HK$100 off for the first five Uber taxi trips.
The cab-hailing app, which boasts more than 70,000 registered drivers, was acquired by Uber in 2021.
Uber said at the time that the move would expand earning opportunities for taxi drivers and bring greater convenience to riders.
In October 2023, the Uber app introduced a new metered taxi option for riders by partnering with HKTaxi. The option allowed users to get connected with an additional 10,000 taxi drivers in the city, it said.
Unlike the Uber app, HKTaxi allows drivers to see the destination before accepting the order.
Ho Chi-keung, director of Taxi Driver Branch of the Motor Transport Workers General Union, told Ming Pao on Tuesday that the app was used by more than 80 per cent of local taxi drivers.
HKTaxi had provided stable user traffic, with half of the daily online bookings coming from the platform, he said.
The Uber app will also allow riders to use the meter taxi option and request additional discounts from drivers, HKTaxi said on Monday.
Safety features such as GPS tracking and two-way ratings are also enhanced, it added.
