Editorial | Hong Kong customers in driving seat with ride-hailing
Singapore company Tada will provide more competition in Hong Kong for Uber and a taxi industry that is facing a major shake-up
Hong Kong’s taxi and ride-hailing passengers have received a double early Christmas present that promises better service.
Days after news that the city’s taxi operators will be required to install electronic payment and navigation systems, and dashboard and surveillance cameras over the next two years, word came of more competition.
Tada, a Singapore-based ride-hailing service, has launched in Hong Kong ahead of a government plan to regulate operators, who are often illegal, in 2025. This will mean more competition for ride-hailing market leader Uber.
The company is trying to extend its presence beyond Southeast Asia after obtaining a licence in Thailand earlier this year. It is allowing customers to pay by cash or credit card in its beta launch, which covers Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the airport.
The Transport and Logistics Bureau in July proposed establishing regulations for ride-hailing services next year, which would focus on oversight and strengthening penalties for violations. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan has promised to prioritise residents’ needs.
The bureau said the in-car cameras and global positioning systems for taxis, along with at least two electronic payment options, were aimed at enhancing quality of service.
