Uber Hong Kong warns proposed permit cap risks triggering 70% rise in fares
Platform argues cap of up to 15,000 fails to account for rising demand, as minister says authorities yet to have preference for specific figure
Uber Hong Kong has warned that a proposed cap of up to 15,000 ride-hailing permits could trigger a 70 per cent increase in fares and result in 40 per cent of peak-hour bookings being unsuccessful.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan stressed on Tuesday that the government did not currently have a “specific preference” regarding the quota limit, but pledged that a cap would be adopted in consideration of cabbies’ demands and the impact on the taxi industry.
In a document for Legco, the platform argued that the proposed cap cited by authorities failed to account for the growing demand for ride-hailing services and could result in a significant service gap.
“If the number of permits is capped at 15,000, we anticipate that for every 10 ride requests during peak hours, passengers may fail to secure a booking up to four times,” Uber said.
“Even when successful, waiting times could double in certain periods, while fares could soar by 70 per cent.”