Gov't considers at least 10,000 licenses for ride-hailing services in first phase
發佈日期: 2026-05-11 19:50
TVB News
The government is consulting the public on the number of licenses for ride-hailing services this week.
It is considering issuing at least 10,000 licenses in the initial phase, with a likely cap of 15,000.
Following the enactment of the primary legislation for ride-hailing platforms last year, the Transport and Logistics Bureau is submitting a document to the Legislative Council regarding the licensing scale.
The government will start with at least 10,000 licenses during the initial phase of regulating ride-hailing platforms.
The number may be capped at 15,000.
So what do residents think?
This man argued that the government should not have too much control, noting that ride-hailing services are an inevitable global trend.
Meanwhile, this woman expressed concern that capping the number of licenses could negatively impact commuters, who might not be able to secure a ride during busy holiday periods.
The Legislative Council passed the primary framework last October.
Under which, separate licenses are required for platforms, drivers and vehicles.
Platforms holding ride-hailing service licenses must be registered in Hong Kong and conduct due diligence on their drivers and vehicles.
Drivers must be at least 21 years old with no serious traffic convictions in the past five years, while vehicles should be less than 12 years old and undergo annual inspections and carry third-party insurance.
To many taxi drivers, the quota of licenses may directly affect their livelihoods.
Ng Kwan-sing, permanent president of the Taxi Dealers and Owners Association pointed out that five major taxi fleets already offer e-hailing, but face high operational costs,including new cars under three years old, inspections twice a year and expensive insurance.
He urged the government to level the playing field to ensure cab and ride-hailing drivers are treated identically.
The panel on Transport has scheduled a meeting this Tuesday, when the licensing issue will be put on the table.
