Taxi Fleets in Hong Kong Thrive with Positive Feedback and Increased Services Since Launch in 2025

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size

The Transport Department (TD) today (July 27) said that the Government has been actively promoting the development of taxi fleets. Since Taxi Fleet Licences were issued in July 2025, the number of vehicles under the five taxi fleets, namely SynCab, Big Boss Taxi, Amigo, Big Bee Taxi and Joie, has continued to grow. Over 95 per cent of passengers who have used taxi fleet services provided positive feedback, noting that a wider selection of vehicle models, newer vehicles, spacious and tidy compartments and courteous drivers have delivered quality travel experiences for both local passengers and visitors.

Since the service commencement of the five taxi fleets, their vehicle numbers have continued to expand, with over 2 000 fleet taxis and about 2 400 fleet taxi drivers currently in service. As at end-May 2026, about 4.2 million trips in total had been completed by the five taxi fleets.

A spokesman for the TD said, "Taxi fleets have provided fresh vitality into the taxi industry and the personalised point-to-point transport services in Hong Kong in terms of vehicle age, vehicle models and the average age of drivers. Of note, all fleet taxis have already installed with a Global Positioning System, a dash camera and CCTV, leading the industry to enhance and reform service quality. We have been actively promoting the development of taxi fleets and rendering all-round support to assist fleet operators in solving operational challenges, including the engagement of drivers and taxi owners, enhancing fleet advantages and upholding service standards."

Multi-pronged approach to attract taxi owners and drivers

Apart from promoting the features of taxi fleets to all taxi owners to appeal for their participation, the TD actively liaised with relevant banks to provide assistance to taxi owners joining fleets in applying for the Dedicated 100% Loan Guarantee Scheme for Battery Electric Taxis. To date, over 200 applications have been facilitated, increasing the number of electric vehicles in the fleets and promoting green transport.

The five fleets have also implemented various measures to recruit drivers and taxi owners. Meanwhile, the TD assisted in arranging fleet operators to participate in over 20 regional and thematic job fairs organised by the Labour Department. This enabled operators to better explain to job seekers in detail their management, training and support for drivers, successfully attracting both existing drivers and new recruits. Over 100 drivers have joined the fleets through these events to date.

Enhancing fleet advantages

The TD coordinated with power companies and charging facility operators to optimise the layout of dedicated charging infrastructure for taxi fleets. Currently, the five fleets, together with charging operators, offer over 160 charging service points across the territory to facilitate the charging of electric taxis.

Furthermore, the TD has designated 95 dedicated fleet taxi stopping places across 16 locations, including the airport, some of the boundary control points, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station of the Express Rail Link, some of the Airport Express stations, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Phase II, the Exhibition Centre Station Public Transport Interchange and M+ Museum. Dedicated fleet taxi stopping places will also be set up at the Hong Kong Port Area of the new Huanggang Port. The TD has also taken the initiative to engage the hotel and tourism sectors, encouraging greater use of taxi fleet services. This has successfully fostered deep collaboration between fleets and major hotel groups to deliver quality service to visitors.

In addition, the TD coordinated the collaboration between Octopus and taxi fleets to participate in the "Easy Ride" hailing platform, creating an aggregated platform for all five fleets. Since its launch in recent months, "Easy Ride" has recorded over 400 000 visits, with over 10 000 taxis being connected with the platform. Nearly 40 per cent of orders were completed by taxi fleets, achieving an order completion rate of 76 per cent by taxi fleets. This reflects a positive response from taxi fleets with diversified passenger sources. Fleet drivers are also able to collaborate with different online hailing platforms to make pre-booking easier for passengers while increasing driver income.

Attracting younger drivers and ensuring service quality

Fleet operators maintain stringent criteria for selecting drivers and have established effective driver management and monitoring mechanisms. This has attracted many courteous, professional and younger new recruits, effectively improving the traditional image of the industry. The average age of drivers across the five fleets is only 47 now, much lower than the industry average of 60. Notably, 20 per cent of fleet drivers are aged between 30 and 39, bringing a fresh outlook to the trade. At the same time, fleet operators strictly monitor the service quality; all fleet vehicles are equipped with Driver Monitoring Systems to ensure service standards. Any non-compliant driver will be followed up seriously, and severe cases will result in immediate termination of engagement.

The TD closely monitors the service quality of taxi fleets, and with the effective driver management implemented by fleet operators, the number of complaints received is lower than that of non-fleet taxis, and the accident rate involved is also relatively lower.

The spokesperson added, "We will continue to provide all-round support to fleet operators to enhance service quality and drive each fleet toward the committed fleet sizes. We will also closely monitor the service quality, performance and standards of fleet operators, while keeping a close watch on public demand for taxi fleet services."

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Recognising quality services of taxi fleets with continuous support to achieve committed fleet size Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Speech by PSITI at HKAE Pitch Competition on Grand Challenge Engineering Topics for University Students 2025-26 Award Ceremony

Following is the speech by the Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Kevin Choi, at the HKAE (Hong Kong Academy of Engineering) Pitch Competition on Grand Challenge Engineering Topics for University Students 2025-26 Award Ceremony today (July 27):

Dr Chan (President of the HKAE, Dr Alex Chan), Professor Chao (Chairman of the Pitch Competition 2025-26 and Senior Vice President of the HKAE, Professor Christopher Chao), Mr Ma (Deputy Chairman of the Pitch Competition 2025-26 and Vice President of the HKAE, Mr Eric Ma), distinguished fellows, honourable judges, award winners, ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening. I am delighted to join you all tonight at this memorable University Pitch Competition Award Ceremony.

First and foremost, I extend my warmest congratulations to the award-winning teams and students. Your outstanding entries truly exemplify the spirit of innovation and collaborative teamwork. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the HKAE for organising this meaningful competition and for your unwavering commitment to nurturing the next generation of engineering leaders.

The theme of this year's competition, "Human-AI Collaboration", is both timely and highly relevant. When we speak of collaboration, we are not referring to technology replacing people. Rather, human-AI collaboration is about synergy. It is the powerful intersection where human intuition, creativity, and empathy meet the incredible speed, data processing capability, and analytical scale of machines. This synergy unlocks boundless opportunities, driving the adoption of AI to new heights and transforming how we live, work, and innovate.

AI has become the cornerstone of our digital economy strategy in Hong Kong. We are actively aligning with the national "AI+" initiative, which emphasises deep integration of AI across sectors, advocating a dual vision of "industries for AI" and "AI for industries". Our goal is to transform Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub and a global hub for AI development. We are achieving this by leveraging our strengths in research and development, infrastructure, finance, international linkages, and our strategic proximity to the Greater Bay Area.

This strategic direction builds upon the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint promulgated in 2022, which identified AI and data science as key focus areas for the next five to ten years. AI is playing a pivotal and leading role in this new round of technological revolution, and recent Policy Addresses and Budgets have firmly elevated AI as a top strategic priority.

The significance of AI stems from its transformative ability to drive innovation, boost efficiency, and tackle complex challenges. To translate this into tangible outcomes, the Government has established the Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy to formulate approaches that create optimal conditions for AI to empower and reshape various industries.

Complementing this strategic framework, the newly established Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute, which will commence operations later this year, will play a leading role in accelerating a vibrant AI ecosystem and spearheading the "AI+" agenda in Hong Kong. It is uniquely positioned to propel innovation, promote multi-stakeholder collaboration, attract global talent and investment, and elevate Hong Kong's international standing in the field.

On the digital infrastructure front, Hong Kong's overall computing power has now reached 5 000 PFLOPS (peta-floating point operations per second), with Cyberport's AI Supercomputing Centre contributing 3 000 PFLOPS to serve as a critical backbone supporting our local AI development. Another vital infrastructure project is the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster in the Northern Metropolis. Currently under construction, it will be developed into an advanced data facility cluster for data centres and related industries. It is expected to provide 180 000 PFLOPS of computing power by 2032, equivalent to 36 times our current capacity.

Looking ahead, the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) Government has launched a public consultation on Hong Kong's first five-year economic and social development plan to align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan. This development plan will articulate our vision and introduce forward-looking policies to deepen the "AI+" initiative, accelerate research transformation, and expand application scenarios to foster deep integration across industries. I strongly encourage you to submit your views on or before August 14, 2026 to collectively shape our future innovation blueprint.

In closing, I understand that the winning team and the outstanding team will have the opportunity to participate in the International Finals, where they will showcase their innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. I am confident that your innovative solutions will shine on the global stage.

I wish you all a very pleasant and enjoyable evening. Thank you.

Speech by PSITI at HKAE Pitch Competition on Grand Challenge Engineering Topics for University Students 2025-26 Award Ceremony Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases