A new demerits system that came into effect on September 22 aims to take action against taxi drivers who provide passengers poor service. The Taxi-Driver-Offence Points Ordinance covers 11 acts that are deemed offences under current legislation, including overcharging, refusing rides, and failure to take the quickest or easiest routes to a destination.
The offences fall into 3 categories based on how serious they are, and cabbies are given 10, 5, and 3 demerit points depending on the which ones they commit. For instance, marked-up fares is a 10-point offence, taking an indirect route will fetch 5 points, and refusal to issue a receipt will result in 3 points.
A driver who accumulates a certain number of points must attend a Taxi Service Improvement Course within a specific time, failing which they must pay a HK$5,000 fine and serve a one-month prison sentence. Cabbies who attend an improvement course and pass its exam will have 3 points deducted from their total demerits. Those who get 15 or more points will be barred from driving a taxi for 3-6 months, depending on whether they are first-time or repeat offenders.
Earlier this year, Hong Kong’s Transport Department revealed that the biggest complaints against the city’s cab drivers included ride refusal, overcharging, and taking indirect routes. In addition, there were 4,585 accidents involving taxis in 2023, up from 3,632 in 2022 and 4,153 in 2021. The Hong Kong Taxi Council also spearheaded a three-month courtesy campaign to help cab drivers understand the significance of politeness and to improve communication with passengers.
To file a complaint against an errant taxi driver, fill out this form.
Header image credits: Diego Delso via WikiCommons
