【明報專訊】CONCERNS HAVE ARISEN over whether the five taxi fleets approved by the government last year will be able to officially commence operation before the deadline at the end of July this year, given that only two fleets are providing limited services on a "trial run" so far. The fleet regime is widely regarded as the last hope for reforming the city's taxi trade. If the sector fails to meet public expectations, the government should accelerate the easing of restrictions on private car ride-hailing services to cater for people's needs.
In July last year, the government issued conditional grants of the taxi fleet licence to five operators. The size of the fleets will range from 300 to 1,000 taxis each, providing a total of over 3,500 taxis, accounting for nearly 20% of the total number of taxis in Hong Kong. The selected operators have to deploy about 1,500 new vehicles as fleet taxis in the early period of service operation. Aside from providing ride-hailing service, all fleet taxis must be equipped with driver monitoring systems and multiple electronic payment means.
To obtain a formal operating licence, a fleet must meet certain prerequisites. For instance, at least 60% of the total number of taxis promised in the application shall be deployed when service commences; a certain number of wheelchair-accessible taxis, premium taxis and electric taxis shall be provided; and at least 10% of the drivers shall be direct employees rather than rentee-drivers. As the fleets are required to commence service officially within one year, the end of July this year will be the deadline.
The authorities said that the fleet operators have encountered various challenges. Some taxi owners and drivers "may not understand the operation of the fleets" and are therefore hesitant to join. However, the one-year preparation period is already long enough. In case the problem does not lie in the "insufficient understanding" of the members of the taxi trade but their entangled web of interests, then reform is made difficult. Even if the deadline is extended or the entry threshold is lowered, the problem may remain unresolved.
According to some members of the taxi trade, the fleets have faced difficulties in both recruiting drivers and engaging taxi owners to join. Some fleets have failed to recruit drivers and therefore have idle taxis. On the other hand, fleets without the backing of large taxi companies have idle drivers. Although they have tried to invite individual taxi owners to join, the results are far from meeting the prerequisite. Because of the stipulation that a fleet taxi cannot be more than three years old, taxi owners have to invest in new cars, yet many have reservations about spending on taxi purchases.
The taxi trade had always run on a self-employed regime consisting primarily of rentee-driving. If drivers are employed in a taxi fleet, they need to wear uniforms and be monitored. For some, such requirements might be deterring. Yet, if the fleets can offer good salaries and bonuses, naturally some drivers will be willing to join. If recruitment still falls short, the first question to be addressed should be whether the employment terms offered by the fleets are not attractive enough.
If taxi owners hold back from investing due to a pessimistic outlook on the industry, it is manifest that they have no desire to participate in the taxi trade's reforms. If owners wish to wait until the government takes action to perk up the licence price, they ought to understand what the fleet regime is introduced for: to serve the public or to protect the trade's vested interests?
The number of taxi licences in Hong Kong has remained unchanged for 30 years, failing to keep pace with the growing demand for point-to-point transport services, and the taxi trade has rested on its laurels. Relaxing the regulations on private car ride-hailing services will reduce unmet demand and improve the overall service quality by introducing competition.
明報社評2025.05.16：的士車隊改革時不我與 利益盤根錯節組隊艱難
政府去年批出5支的士車隊，迄今只得兩支車隊正在「試運」，提供有限服務，5支車隊能否在今年7月底死線來臨前正式營運，惹人關注。車隊制度廣被視為推動的士業界改革的最後希望，如果業界不爭氣，政府就應加快鬆綁網約私家車服務，滿足社會需要。
政府於去年7月向5間營辦商發出的士車隊牌照有條件暫准通知，每支車隊規模介乎300至1000輛的士不等，合共提供超過3500輛的士，佔全港的士近兩成。獲選營辦商在投入服務初期，要調配約1500輛新車為車隊的士，除了提供網約服務，每架的士均須配置司機監察系統，以及提供多種電子支付方式。
車隊要獲發正式營運牌照，須達到一定門檻，包括投入服務時，車隊的士數目至少要達到申請規模的六成，有一定數量輪椅的士、豪華的士及電動的士，以及至少一成司機屬直接受僱而非租車。車隊須於1年內正式投入服務，今年7月底就是期限。
當局表示，車隊營辦商遇到不同挑戰，部分車主及司機「未必了解車隊運作」，因而對加入車隊持觀望態度。然而，一年時間做準備已屬相當充裕，如果問題不在於業界人士「不了解」，而是因為利益盤根錯節，導致改革舉步維艱，就算將死線押後又或降低啟動門檻，也不一定能解決問題。
根據業界說法，車隊在招募司機和吸引的士車主加盟方面，均面對困難。部分車隊聘請不到司機，「有車無人揸」；部分無大車行背景的車隊，則是「有人無車」，雖然車隊四出招募「單頭」的士車主加盟，但遠未達到門檻。由於「車齡不可超過3年」的規定，車主須投資換新車，然而很多車主都對花錢買車有保留。
的士業以往都是自由身租車制度，若受僱於車隊，需要穿制服、受監控，凡此種種確有可能令部分司機卻步，可是如果車隊肯提供優厚的薪津及獎金，自然會有司機願意來投。若真的請不到人，第一個需要了解的問題，應該是車隊招聘條件是否缺乏吸引力。
倘若部分車主是因為看淡前景而不想投資，其實這等於說明他們沒有參與的士改革的意欲；倘若車主是想見到政府先採取行動，幫他們托高的士牌價，那就必須先搞清楚，引入的車隊制度，目的究竟是為了市民還是為了保障業界既得利益。
本港的士牌照數目30年不變，既追不上社會對「點對點」交通服務的需求，也令到業界不思進取。放寬網約私家車服務，可以改善供需失衡，也可藉着引入競爭，提升整體服務質素。
■ Glossary 生字 /
idle : (of machines, factories, etc) not in use; (of people) without work
manifest : easy to see or understand
rest on your laurels : to feel so satisfied with what you have already achieved that you do not try to do any more