Taxi Driver Commendation Scheme launched

Taxi drivers who have shown good conduct and quality performance to members of the public, particularly taxi passengers will be commended through a territory-wide Taxi Driver Commendation Scheme.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of the Taxi Driver Commendation Scheme today (July 9), Acting Commissioner for Transport, Mrs Dorothy Chan, said: " The objective of the scheme is to give commendation to taxi drivers who provide quality taxi service and who are of good conduct.

" By introducing the scheme, it is hoped that taxi drivers will be encouraged to provide more quality services to passengers, and enhance the standard of the taxi trade will be enhanced as a whole," she said.

Mrs Chan was confident that the scheme would further help cultivate a harmonious relationship among taxi drivers and passengers.

Nomination for taxi drivers will be made to the Transport Department through 16 specified organizations by mail.

If a nominee who is also a taxi passenger wants to make a nomination, he/she should return the nomination form with a copy of taxi receipt, if any.

The 16 specified organizations are Hong Kong Police Force; Transport Complaints Unit, Transport Advisory Committee; Consumer Council; Hong Kong Tourism Board; Airport Authority Hong Kong; The Hong Kong Council of Social Service; Environmental Advisory Service; Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth; Rehabilitation Alliance Hong Kong; Hong Kong Rehabilitation Power; the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation; Fu Hong Society; the Hong Kong Society for the Blind; Hong Kong Blind Union; the Hong Kong Society for the Deaf; and New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association.

Nomination forms are available for collection at the office of the 16 participating organizations or can be downloaded from Transport Department's website (www.info.gov.hk/td).

Transport Department will process the nominations upon receipt. With the consent of the nominees, the department will take into account their driving, commendation and complaint records in the past three years. Subject to satisfactory results of assessment, recommendation will eventually be submitted to the QTSSC for decision.

All commended taxi drivers will be presented with a Quality Taxi Driver Identify Card and a Quality Taxi Driver Certificate and be awarded souvenirs as recognition.

Also present at the ceremony, the Chairman of the Ad hoc QTSSC, Mr Jeffrey Lam, said: "The Taxi Driver Commendation Scheme is aimed at providing an on-going channel for taxi passengers to show their appreciation or to give commendation to taxi drivers who have demonstrated the qualities of a good taxi driver."

He said: " Eligible taxi drivers should have performed well in providing taxi services to passengers. That is, he or she has delivered quality services to passengers, provided assistance to passengers with disabilities or accident victims proactively and assisted in fighting crime."

The QTSSC formed in May 1999 was tasked with giving advice to the Transport Department on the delivery of various projects for improving the quality of taxi services.

It comprises representatives from the taxi trade associations and drivers' associations, Transport Bureau, Transport Department, district councils, the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Consumer Council.

During the year of 2000, the QTSSC with the support of the Transport Department has published 5 issues of taxi newsletters, organized two taxi driver award schemes and the Workplace English and Putonghua Programme for Taxi Drivers, followed by the Quality Taxi Services Forum in January 2001 and the publication of the Taxi Service Standards in May 2001.

At the ceremony, the Chairman of the QTSSC, Mr Jeffrey Lam and the Acting Commissioner for Transport, Dr Dorothy Chan presented the Certificate of Appreciation to the 16 participating organizations for their generous support and participation in the scheme.

End/Monday, July 9, 2001