Newly launched premium taxi fleet JOIE was off to a bumpy start, as users faced multiple cancelled orders on its first full day of operation despite submitting requests over an hour in advance.
All four attempts by two Post reporters to hail a ride on Tuesday morning via the newly launched JOIE app, which officially went online the previous evening, were unsuccessful.
The journey from the Legislative Council Complex on Tim Mei Avenue to Times Square in Causeway Bay was shown to cost HK$52 (US$6.68) for a “standard” four-seater taxi, HK$70 for a “premium” six-seater vehicle, and HK$265 for a wheelchair accessible car.
Pre-orders were made for all three types at around 10am on Tuesday morning, with pickup times set at 11am or after. Users first had to pay electronically before the request was processed.
After six to 10 minutes of the app attempting to match Post reporters with a driver, a notification popped up saying: “Due to the time slot being full, your trip has been cancelled. A refund will be processed in around seven working days.”
The Post has reached out to JOIE for comments.
