1,000 premium taxis to operate in Hong Kong in July, half the intended number

About 1,000 premium taxis will hit the streets of Hong Kong next month, about 50 per cent fewer than the government planned, despite the positive responses received during a trial run, according to an official.

Commissioner for Transport Angela Lee Chung-yan said on Friday that the Transport Department would grant official licences to five taxi fleets by the end of July, and the progress made on both the hardware and software of the fleets was satisfactory.

“Most of the taxi fleets have reached the 60 per cent threshold of their maximum capacity, in terms of the number of vehicles purchased and their hardware,” she said.

“Although some drivers and taxi owners might still be unfamiliar with the new taxi fleets, we are pleased to see fleets stepping up in their preparation work. With these recruitment schemes being increasingly well-received, I am confident that more drivers will join the fleets.

“We estimate that 1,000 taxi fleet vehicles will be in service by the end of July.”

The department granted temporary licences to taxi fleets in July last year, saying the five fleets would have more than 3,500 taxis combined. The department set a deadline last year that the number of taxis in service by July 2025 should be at least 60 per cent of the 3,500, which was about 2,100 taxis.