March 8, 2006
Government Press Release
Steering group set to tackle 'taxi' vans

A steering group with members from three bureaux will be set up to tackle illegal transport services at the policy level, Secretary for the Environment, Transport & Works Dr Sarah Liao says.

The bureaux are:
* Environment, Transport & Works;
* Economic Development & Labour; and
* Security.

She said the existing task force on airport passenger and goods transport will continue its operation.

Speaking to reporters after meeting taxi-trade representatives today, Dr Liao said enforcement against illegal transport services will be stepped up. Publicity will also be strengthened to educate the public and drivers about the legal requirements.

Dr Liao pointed out there is no need to revise existing laws. The Government will explore long-term measures to tackle illegal transport services and consider new measures on which the transport trade have reached consensus.

She called on taxi drivers to voice their opinions through established channels and avoid taking radical actions.

Van and taxi drivers in turf war protest
Doug Crets
Hong Kong Standard
Saturday, March 25, 2006

Drivers of vans and taxis staged separate protests after Liberal Party vice chairman Selina Chow suggested setting apart lanes for cargo vans and taxis at Hong Kong International Airport.

The protests Friday serve as a backdrop to the growing tension in both industries as the proposal, if enacted, will prevent cargo van drivers from picking up passengers at the airport.

Van drivers see recent efforts to limit seat numbers and this latest proposal as an attempt to squeeze them out of the market.

Taxi drivers who service the airport argue that van drivers squeeze into their already tight spaces outside of the airport arrivals gate as they wait for passengers to take to Hong Kong or Kowloon.

Hong Kong Union of Light Van Employees chairman Ip Moon-lam, said the union strongly protested against the proposed legislation amendment to stop van operators carrying passengers.

"We are working in a gray area," he said. "According to the law, we are allowed to carry goods after receiving an approval from the Transport Department. The law does not say we are not allowed to carry passengers.

"The government's rush to amend the law will only affect the cargo industry as we are part of the industry and this will affect the survival of van operators."

Airport police Superintendent Blake Hancock told the Legislative Council the police will study the idea and welcomed any proposal that improves the situation.

"Our stance is to support any arrangement that will help with public order," said Transport Department principal information officer Simon Tam.

He said the department had met only three days ago to discuss the matter of reducing the number of seats in light goods vans but that no government-led plan is in place to change anything about how taxi or van drivers operate.

It is not likely that fuel price pressure on taxi drivers is behind the need for a separate taxi lane at the airport, Tam said.

Fifty van drivers added to the protests by driving slowly round the government's Murray Building in Central.

They said they wanted to thwart separate efforts to amend a law allowing them to fit five people into their vans.

A proposal sent to Legco wants to limit that number to only three.

機場客貨分流不討好
的士業：近客運樓 客貨車：限制太多
07/04/2006
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的士與客貨車因在機場爭客引起連串風波後，機場管理局昨日終提出解決方案，建議設立輕型客貨車裝卸貨專區以達到客貨分流。不過的士業界認為建議選址仍太過接近客運大樓，變相方便客貨車搶客；客貨車業界則認為新措施限時、限地及需要事先登記會引致不便，結果方案兩面不討好。

機管局共提出三個卸貨專區選址讓客貨車業界從中三選一。首個選址位於富豪機場酒店側的四號停車場；另一選址是現被譽為「白牌車天堂」的一號停車場；最後則是今年第三季落成的二號客運大樓側，供客貨車使用的停車場面積目前未有定案。

機管局客運業務助理總經理（地面運輸及通訊）林華貴表示，日後使用卸貨區上貨前輕型客貨車司機要先向機管局申請許可證，月費為一百元。每次到機場載貨均要在一小時前登記，提供車牌號碼、航機編號及旅客資料等。上貨限時十五分鐘，逾時則收取每半小時三十元的收費。日後客貨車亦不可再在一號停車場內候客，只能在五號停車場等候。至於運送客人和貨物到機場落貨的限制則較少，司機毋須申請許可證及可免費落貨，但落貨後要立即離開。

一小時前登記惹不滿
林華貴形容，三個選址均接近客運大樓，方便旅客裝卸貨物，有關方案亦方便管理及警方執法。他又謂，如獲業界同意後，修例及建設工程將可於四至五個月完成，工程費約一百萬元。

參與討論的運輸署署長黃志光指出，相信新方案可行，期望的士業及輕型貨車業接受，減少雙方爭拗。

對於的士業質疑新方案未釐清輕型貨車載客及載貨的定義，他強調，現有法例及有案例已分清載客及載貨，輕型貨車違法載客取酬只屬行業內一小撮人，當局不宜因小眾而修改法例。

不過，客貨車及的士業界代表並不滿意有關建議，客貨車從業員職工會理事長葉滿林批評新方案偏幫的士業，認為新方案的卸貨區位置太遠，加上機管局徵收一百元月費及客貨車司機到機場上貨需要一小時前通知機管局，對業界的運作帶來不便。市區的士司機聯委會主席郭志標則批評，新建議沒有正視客貨車司機非法載客取酬，又沒有釐定乘客及貨物的定義，反而設定地點容許客貨車上落，等同認同其非法行為。逾四十的士團體準備本周內召開業界大會，並會向機管局提出反建議。

Taxi drivers taken for ride
Hong Kong Standard
Thursday, June 01, 2006

Van drivers are taking advantage of a loophole in the law to ferry passengers to the airport, police say.

A police spokesman said some van drivers have used the loopholes to ask "commission" from the passengers on top of charging for freight.

Currently, it is illegal for unlicensed hire car or van operators to pick up passengers. However van drivers are not breaking the law when they carry both goods and passengers if they only charge for transporting the goods.

This loophole has long been slammed by taxi drivers who believe they are being robbed of fares by van drivers.

In November 2002, about 500 taxi drivers blocked the taxi rank at Hong Kong International Airport for two hours to protest against drivers of vans and illegal hire cars who they say are approaching passengers and offering them lower rates for the journey into town. Although the police promised to help combat the illegal practice at the time, the problem has not disappeared.

In February 2003, taxi drivers at the airport warned they would strike again as they were furious at unlicensed hire cars taking passengers away from them.

Some 400 urban and New Territories taxis often have to wait for up to five hours at the airport to pick up passengers, according to the drivers, who blame the police for not doing enough to stop the illegal operators.

A recent police statement said: "The police arrested two van drivers who they suspected of receiving commission from the passengers on April 13. The case was later transferred to the Department of Justice."

The police told Sing Tao Daily, sister paper of The Standard, that the Environment, Transport and Works Bureau, Transport Department and Department of Justice are "studying the situation."

The taxi fare from the airport to Central is about HK$340, but unlicensed car operators charge HK$230 for the same trip.

Sixty-five illegal hire car drivers and touts were prosecuted from 2000 to October 2002, with 44 convictions.

The maximum penalty for illegal touting is a fine of HK$10,000 and one month's imprisonment.

Drivers of unlicensed hire cars face a HK$10,000 fine and three months' jail.

Review of taxi industry will look at fares system
19 April 2007
South China Morning Post

The fare structure for taxis is set to undergo a major revamp with the launch by the Transport Advisory Committee of a year-long review of the charges system.

Commissioned by the government, the study is the first step to setting in motion an adjustment of fares. The industry has been plagued by controversy after some taxi drivers, in a bid to boost business, began offering discounts of up to 40 per cent for customers travelling long distances.

Announcing the review yesterday, Transport Advisory Committee chairwoman Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah insisted the findings would not necessarily result in a fare reduction, but would instead explore ways of enhancing the industry's competitiveness.

"The aim of the review was to examine whether the operation of the taxi market had changed, and whether different modes of operation could be introduced."

"Any changes in the fare-charging mechanism and legislation would affect the trade and the public. The committee won't draw any conclusions before completing the review and exchanging views with the trade and the public."

The committee will also take into account the findings of a similar study conducted by an alliance of 27 taxi associations in March to review the industry's mode of operation and the charging system in light of the prevalence of the so-called discount gangs.

The review will be one of several initiatives that could change the landscape of the taxi industry, including an ongoing study by the Hong Kong Productivity Council to examine the introduction of London taxis and the introduction of about 600 taxis with global positioning systems later this year.