Disabled persons to elect their model taxi drivers

A campaign to give recognition to taxi drivers who render their kind assistance to the disabled persons was kicked off by the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Robert Footman, today (Saturday).

The campaign which invited people with disabilities to nominate taxi drivers for the Model Taxi Drivers Award was organised by the Transport Department, Hong Kong Council of Social Service, taxi associations and Metro Broadcast Corporation limited.

Ten taxi drivers will be selected for the Award when the campaign concludes on January 21, 2000. Of these ten drivers, three will be awarded the "Outstanding Model Taxi Driver from the Viewpoint of People with Disabilities".

"Letters of Appreciation, oil coupons and souveniors will be presented to the ten drivers and we hope the Award scheme would encourage more taxi drivers to provide better service to passengers with disabilities," said a spokesman for the Transport Department.

Members of the public with disabilities can nominate any drivers in the territory whom they think deserve the Award.

Nominations will be assessed by an assessment panel based on the drivers' driving behaviours, attitudes, and their responsiveness towards disabled passengers.

Nomination forms can be obtained from the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, Licensing Offices of the Transport Department as well as District Offices and completed forms should be posted to the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, 11-13th Floor, Duke of Windsor Social Services Building, 15 Hennessy Road, Hong Kong no later than January 21, 2000.

The Award presentation will be held in February 2000.

Today's ceremony drew together drivers of urban, New Territories and Lantau taxis at the taxi stand in the old airport site at Kai Tak and was joined by Transport Advisory Committee member and Chairman of the Quality Taxi Services Steering Committee, Mr Jeffrey Lam, and the Ambassadors of the campaign Mr Benny Cheung and Mr Chong Chan Yau.

"The Model Taxi Drivers Award from the Viewpoint of the People with Disabilities serves as an introduction to a series of taxi related activities including a Taxi Driver Award, a quarterly publication and training projects to enhance taxi service quality," the spokesman said.

Saturday, December 18, 1999