Introduction
The purpose of introducing the pre-service courses is to enhance the safety and quality of public transport services through raising new public light bus, public bus, taxi and ride-hailing vehicle drivers' awareness of driving safety and good driving attitude and equipping them with basic knowledge of passenger service and skills in customer service etc.
Target Participants of the Pre-service Courses
The Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) and the Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Regulations (Cap. 374B) stipulate that all applicants for public light bus, public bus or taxi full driving licence, and ride-hailing vehicle driving permit, are required to pass the relevant driving test and attend and complete the relevant pre-service course within one year preceding the date of application and obtain the course certificate of the course for the issue of the relevant full driving licence or the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit.
Persons holding a valid taxi driving licence may apply to the TD for a ride-hailing vehicle driving permit directly without having to sit for the combined written test for taxis and ride-hailing vehicles again or take the pre-service course for ride-hailing vehicle drivers.
Introduction to the Pre-service Courses
The pre-service courses for public light bus, public bus, taxi or ride-hailing vehicle drivers are 12-hour (for Pre-service Course for Ride-hailing Vehicle Drivers) or 16-hour courses which adopt a modular structure. A participant shall complete the whole course in four months, counting from the first session of the course. Each course includes two parts with details tabulated below:
| Pre-service Course for Ride-hailing Vehicle Drivers | Pre-service Course for Public Light Bus, Public Bus or Taxi Drivers | |
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Course duration
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12 hours
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16 hours
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Modules covered
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Foundation Module (8 hours)
Unit 1 - Driving Safety and Road Safety
Unit 2 - Major Contributing Factors to Traffic Accidents and Handling Emergencies Unit 3 - Customer Services and Handling Complaints |
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Participants who have attended and completed a pre-service course and passed its assessment(s) will obtain a course certificate issued by a pre-service training school. Participants who have attended and completed a pre-service course for public light buses, public buses and taxis on or after 1 October 2020 and have obtained the course certificate of the course will not be required to attend the foundation module of other vehicle types.
Frequently Asked Questions
| (I) |
Application requirement |
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| Q1 | Is there any requirement for applying for the pre-service courses? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A1 | An applicant for the pre-service courses shall be :
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| Q2 | I am a holder of public light bus (code 5) / public bus (code 10) / taxi (code 6) full driving licence but not an incumbent public light bus / public bus / taxi driver. Will I need to attend and complete a pre-service course if I work as a public light bus / public bus / taxi driver in future? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A2 | The pre-service courses are introduced by the Transport Department to provide training to applicants for public light bus / public bus / taxi full driving licence in order to equip them with basic knowledge and skills for provision of services before they work as public light bus / public bus / taxi drivers, with a view to improving the safety and service quality of public transport. Holders of those full driving licences are not required by law to attend a pre-service course. They can decide themselves whether to attend the course on a need basis. |
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| Q3 | I am a holder of taxi (code 6) full driving licence and intend to apply for the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit. Will I need to attend and complete the pre-service course for ride-hailing vehicle drivers? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A3 | Holders of a valid taxi (code 6) full driving licence may apply for a ride-hailing vehicle driving permit directly without having to attend and complete the pre-service course for ride-hailing vehicle drivers. |
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| (II) |
Content of the pre-service courses |
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| Q4 | How can a participant of the pre-service courses obtain a course certificate? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A4 | A participant shall attend and complete the foundation module and mode-specific module of the course, and pass the assessments of the foundation module (if applicable) and mode-specific module with satisfactory performance during the course (including paying attention during the course and participating actively during in-class and group discussions) in order to obtain a course certificate issued by the pre-service training school concerned. A participant who is late or absent for more than 15 minutes will be considered as not having completed the course. The assessment will take place at the last 30 minutes of each module (i.e. the foundation module and mode-specific module). A participant has to answer 25 multiple-choice questions in each assessment. The passing mark is 15 correct answers (i.e. 60%). A participant shall attend and complete a module of the course in order to participate in the assessment of that module. If a participant fails to pass the assessment of a module, he / she will be given two chances to re-take the assessment for free. If a participant fails to pass the assessment after two re-takes, or is unable to retake the assessment within four months counting from the first session of the course, he / she will have to attend that module concerned again. Note: Participants who have attended and completed a pre-service course for public light buses, public buses and taxis on or after 1 October 2020 and have obtained the course certificate of the course will not be required to attend the foundation module of other vehicle types. |
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| Q5 | How are the pre-service courses conducted? Can I only take the written assessments without course attendance? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A5 | No. An instructor of the pre-service courses will deliver knowledge and skills of the course to participants through classroom learning. Interactive learning and discussions are encouraged among participants and they will form part of the assessment criteria. It is required under the law that full driving licence or the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit applicants to which the pre-service course requirement applies are required to attend and complete a pre-service course for the issue of the relevant full driving licence or the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit. Hence, participants cannot only take the written assessments without course attendance. |
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| Q6 | I have completed the pre-service course for public light bus drivers before 1 October 2020. Will I be required to attend the foundation module if I attend the pre-service course for public bus or taxi drivers in future? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A6 | Since the content, structure and assessment mechanism of the pre-service courses have all been changed, you have to attend the foundation module when you attend a pre-service course for the first time since 1 October 2020. |
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| Q7 | I have completed a pre-service course for a vehicle type and have obtained the course certificate. Do I have to attend a pre-service course for other vehicle types at the same pre-service training school so that I am not required to attend the foundation module? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A7 | No. Even if you choose to attend the pre-service course for other vehicle classes at a different pre-service training school, you are still not required to attend the foundation module of other vehicle types. However, you have to present the course certificate during enrolment to prove that you have completed a pre-service course for a vehicle type on or after 1 October 2020. |
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| Q8 | Do I have to apply to the Transport Department in order to notify the pre-service training school that I am not required to attend the foundation module? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A8 | No. When you are enrolling in a pre-service course, you are not required to attend the foundation module of the course if you can present a course certificate to prove that you have completed a pre-service course for a vehicle type on or after 1 October 2020. You do not have to apply to the Transport Department before enrolment. After you have completed the course, the pre-service training school will submit your result and attendance record to the Transport Department and, after the Transport Department has verified that you are not required to attend the foundation module, issue a course certificate of the course to you. |
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| (III) |
Enrolment of pre-service courses |
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| Q9 | How much does a pre-service course cost? Is there any subsidy for the pre-service courses? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A9 | The fee for the pre-service course for public light bus / public bus or taxi drivers is capped at $1,500 and the fee for the foundation / relevant mode-specific module is capped at $750. The fee for the pre-service course for ride-hailing vehicle drivers is capped at $1,350 and the fee for foundation / the mode-specific module for ride-hailing vehicle is capped at $750 / $600 respectively. The pre-service courses are provided by pre-service training schools designated by the Commissioner for Transport. Please refer to Q&A 10 of this page for details of the pre-service training schools. The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) has arranged the provision of the pre-service courses under its Skills Upgrading Courses or Placement-tied Courses. Eligible applicants may apply for course fee subsidy. For details, please visit the website of ERB (https://www.erb.org/home/erb/en/). |
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| Q10 | Where can I enroll in the pre-service courses? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A10 |
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(IV) |
Application for the full driving licence or the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit |
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| Q11 | Is there a validity period for a course certificate? When should I apply for the pre-service courses? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A11 | A course certificate is valid for one year, counting from the date of completion of the course as specified in the certificate. You may attend a pre-service course before or after passing the relevant driving test. If you have completed the course before passing the relevant driving test, you have to pass the relevant driving test within the one-year validity period of the course certificate for the issue of the relevant full driving licence or the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit. Otherwise, you have to attend and complete the pre-service course again. |
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| Q12 | When can I apply for the relevant driving licence or the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit after completion of a pre-service course? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A12 | After completion of a pre-service course, the school needs time to submit your result and attendance record to the Transport Department for processing. Therefore, you may apply for the relevant driving licence or the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit at least five working days after the school has issued the course certificate to you. Please bring along the course certificate for the application. For details of the timing, please consult the school that you attended the pre-service course. |
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| Q13 | If I apply for the private / public bus driving test, what driving licences will I be issued with after passing the test? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A13 | After passing the test, you must present a valid course certificate of the pre-service course for public bus drivers and a course certificate of the pre-service course for public light bus drivers issued by a pre-service training school designated by the Commissioner for Transport (both with validity period of one year, counting from the date of completion of the course as specified in the certificate) for the issue of the public bus (code 10) and public light bus (code 5) full driving licence respectively. Otherwise, you will be issued with the private bus (code 9) and private light bus (code 4) full driving licences only. After issue of the private bus (code 9) and private light bus (code 4) full driving licences and completion of the relevant pre-service course, you can still apply for the public bus (code 10) and public light bus (code 5) full driving licences within the one-year validity period of the course certificate. |
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| Q14 | What driving licence or driving permit will I be issued with after passing the taxi and ride-hailing vehicle combined written test? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A14 | An applicant who passed the relevant written test has to complete the pre-service course for taxi drivers and obtain the course certificate for the issue of the taxi (code 6) full driving licence and for the application of the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit; or complete the pre-service course for ride-hailing vehicle drivers and obtain the course certificate for the application of the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit. The course certificate for pre-service course is valid for one year, counting from the date of completion of the course as specified in the certificate. |
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| Q15 | I have already attended and completed the pre-service course for ride-hailing vehicle drivers and have obtained a ride-hailing vehicle driving permit. Will I need to attend and complete a pre-service course for taxi drivers if I work as a taxi driver in future? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A15 | Since the pre-service course for ride-hailing vehicle drivers is specifically designed for individuals entering the ride-hailing service industry, the course does not cover the regulations, operations and structures of taxi. Therefore, you need to complete the pre-service course for taxi drivers and apply for a taxi (code 6) full driving licence within 3 years from the date of passing the Taxi and Ride-hailing Vehicle Combined Written Test. If the date of passing the Taxi and Ride-hailing Vehicle Combined Written Test is over 3 years at the time of application for the full driving licence for taxi, a candidate must take the Taxi and Ride-hailing Vehicle Combined Written Test and complete the pre-service course for taxi drivers (excluding the foundation module) before he or she may apply for a ride-hailing vehicle driving permit. |
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| (V) |
Application for the operation of pre-service training school |
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| Q16 | I am interested in applying to operate a pre-service training school. How can I apply? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A16 | For enquiries regarding the application for the operation of pre-service training school, please call the Transport Department hotline at 2804 2600. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||