Hong Kong roads will welcome 3,500 new premium taxis starting later this month

The new taxi will be displayed and will be rolled out in Hong Kong under a premium taxi service. Photo: Handout

A new taxi fleet in Hong Kong is ready to be launched, the first set of 3,500 cabs from five taxi fleets will begin to operate later this month, offering premium services.

The taxis, which are brand new, will be accepting various forms of electronic payments, wireless Internet, wheelchair-accessibility, electric-powered vehicles, online booking, and driver monitoring systems "for passenger convenience and driving safety", according to the government.

Transport Secretary Mable Chan said that after years of challenges, the taxi trade can only make improvements when it comes to service and she hopes the fleets will play a leading role in this.

"I think today is a start," she said.

"We hope that we can promote and attract more taxis to join such a kind of fleet management to provide more modern and more user-friendly services."

The big Taxi Companies in Hong Kong, such as CMG Fleet Management, Sino Development (International) Company, SynCab Service and Tai Wo Management, are the operators granted licences.

The new fleet of taxis will run around 20 per cent of all the city's taxis, with the first fleet expected to start operating by the end of this month while the remaining will arrive by July.

本月稍後開始，香港道路將迎來 3500 輛新計程車

香港的士車隊新曙光即將推出，五個的士車隊的首批3,500輛出租車將於本月晚些時候開始運營，提供優質服務。

政府表示，全新的計程車將接受各種形式的電子支付、無線網路、輪椅無障礙、電動車輛、線上預訂和駕駛員監控系統，「以方便乘客和駕駛安全」。

運輸局局長陳美潔表示，經過多年的挑戰，的士業只有在服務方面才能有所進步，她希望車隊能在這方面發揮主導作用。

「我認為今天是一個開始，」她說。

“我們希望能夠推動和吸引更多出租車加入這樣的車隊管理，提供更現代化、更人性化的服務。”

香港大型的士公司如招商局車隊管理公司、信及發展(國際)公司、SynCab Service及太和管理公司等都是獲發牌照的營運者。

他們將運營該市約 20% 的計程車，第一批車隊預計將於本月底開始運營，所有計程車將於 7 月抵達。