Taxi drivers appealed to join hands to improve taxi business: C for T

The Commissioner for Transport, Mr Robert Footman, appealed to members of the taxi trade to keep up their good work and join hands with the Transport Department and taxi trade leaders to improve the operating environment of the taxi trade.

Mr Footman made the appeal in an open letter addressing to all taxi trade members. He also personally distributed the open letters at LPG refilling stations in Kwun Tong and West Kowloon, today (December 27) where he took the opportunity to issue the new version of the taxi service guide to taxi drivers he met.

In the letter, Mr Footman acknowledged that the income of taxi trade had decreased significantly from since 1997 owing to the economic downturn and the fragile consumer sentiment of the public.

He reaffirmed the Transport Department's commitment to help improve the operating environment of the taxi trade.

The Commissioner wrote the Transport Department had implemented a number of measures to improve taxi business in the past two years.

The measures included the relaxation of 700 restricted zones, designation of more than 30 taxi pick-up and drop-off points/ drop-off points and the implementation of a trial scheme of hiring taxis to assist Transport Department staff in discharging official duties in November this year.

Mr Footman wrote: "The Department will designate more taxi pick-up and drop-off points / drop-off points by the coming Chinese new years. We are examining the feasibility of permitting use of LED display panel on roof-top of taxis for advertisement to help generate additional revenue."

"Furthermore, we are also working with the Housing Department to devise appropriate measures to facilitate taxi operations at public housing estates."

Mr Footman also thanked the eight taxi trade members of the Working Group on Relaxation of Restricted Zones for Taxis and other taxi associations for their co-operation and support rendered to uplifting of clearway restrictions and the implementation of various quality taxi projects in the past two years.

The new version of the taxi service guide is published to disseminate the relevant information on taxi services to taxi drivers, local passengers and tourists. The taxi service guide printed in bilingual contains useful information like taxi fares, 24-hours hotline for lost property on taxis, telephone numbers of taxi radio call stations, taxi service standards, and conduct of taxi passengers.

Copies of the service guide are available at Transport Department's licensing offices, district offices, the Airport Authority, tourist information centres of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, taxi associations and dedicated LPG refilling stations. The service guide will also be uploaded onto TD's homepage to facilitate Internet users.

End/Thursday, December 27, 2001