Hong Kong taxi industry leaders and Uber have both voiced concerns over a looming quota for ride-hailing vehicles, despite transport authorities promising to consult stakeholders before settling on a figure. The concerns were raised in response to the Transport and Logistics Bureau’s submission to lawmakers on Monday regarding regulatory details, which cited suggestions that between…
Uber Hong Kong has warned that a proposed cap of up to 15,000 ride-hailing permits could trigger a 70 per cent increase in fares and result in 40 per cent of peak-hour bookings being unsuccessful. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan stressed on Tuesday that the government did not currently have a “specific preference”…
Hong Kong authorities should issue about 20,500 licences in the first phase of regulating ride-hailing platforms, lawmakers and experts have said, arguing that the city needs at least 15,000 active cars daily to meet existing demand and avoid worsening transport shortages. The proposal came as several lawmakers told the South China Morning Post, on condition…
Uber has announced it is acquiring the Hong Kong-based online cab-hailing platform FlyTaxi to expand its taxi services, ahead of the implementation of a regulatory regime for ride-hailing services later this year. In a statement on Friday, Uber said that its acquisition of FlyTaxi was part of its commitment to help grow the taxi industry…
A former People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldier has been sentenced to eight months in prison for illegally carrying passengers in his Tesla Model S luxury car using a ride-hailing platform while in Hong Kong as a tourist. Fanling Court on Monday heard that Zeng Yulin, 39, travelled to Hong Kong from Shenzhen between June and…
A former People’s Liberation Army soldier has been remanded in custody in Hong Kong pending sentencing for offering paid rides with his Tesla Model S luxury sedan while using a tourist visa last year. Zeng Yulin, 39, pleaded guilty to 19 charges on Thursday after a police sting operation uncovered his illicit business, which earned…
The quota for Hong Kong’s ride-hailing vehicles to be set by authorities should reflect Uber’s operating situation in the city, the firm’s CEO has urged, adding that the company’s focus on safety will help it stand out among competitors. Dara Khosrowshahi, speaking to the media on Friday during a visit to Hong Kong, said the…
Super Typhoon Ragasa disrupted production of Apple’s iPhones in Shenzhen and crucial pre-holiday shipments by cross-border e-commerce merchants, as the year’s strongest storm barrelled towards southern China with heavy rain and hurricane-force winds. The world’s largest electronics contract manufacturer, Foxconn Technology Group, on Tuesday suspended assembly work at its Shenzhen unit – the innovative Product…
Hong Kong authorities may use their right to control ride-hailing prices to prevent excessive and reductive competition, or involution, the Post has learned, but a lawmaker warned that this could cause legal problems and suggested regulation through controlling the number of licences issued instead. A source familiar with the matter told the Post that the…
Police have launched an investigation after a driver on a mainland Chinese ride-hailing platform purportedly told a passenger he was not a Hong Kong identity card holder, while the Immigration Department has also expressed worries about illegal employment activities. In a reply to the Post, the force said on Tuesday that it had received a…