OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s taxis have gained a poor reputation for taking residents and tourists on the “scenic route” to their destinations … just to make an extra buck!
SOLUTION: Provide GPS tracking and identification of all taxis for trip audits in the event of a dispute, and to more efficiently dispatch taxis to meet the needs of both passengers and drivers.
How many times have you been “taken for a ride” by an unscrupulous Hong Kong taxi driver in a poorly maintained vehicle that reeks of urine and cigarette smoke? Could a mandatory GPS tracking system and interactive driver rating system be implemented to safeguard both passengers and drivers, as well as minimize disputes?
Since Uber is still not an approved public transport option in Hong Kong, consider a comprehensive overhaul of the current taxi industry to provide a positive impact on Hong Kong’s tourism industry and residents’ quality of life.
Consider the following ideas:
- Install a GPS tracking system in each taxi that is linked with a Taxi Hailing app that efficiently matches passengers with nearby taxis and taxis with their preferred routes, all while being monitored by a central taxi dispatching center. This would also provide a time-stamped audit trail of routes taken to dissuade unscrupulous drivers from taking the “scenic route” and to minimize passenger complaints.
- Provide drivers with an interface to a real-time traffic conditions map that assists drivers in taking the least congested route for maximum efficiency, and to maximize their number of revenue-generating trips per day.
- Provide QR codes on the passenger side door which passengers could scan with their smartphones, and instantly ascertain the rating of that driver.
- Create an interactive taxi app to allow passengers to rate the vehicle and its driver relative to driver safety, hygienic condition of the taxi, driver courteousness, and other factors that are compiled into an overall composite score per trip.
- Greatly reduce staffing levels at taxi complaints hotlines due to a predicted dramatic fall in complaints.
- Provide a central database with each professional driver’s licensing history, training, traffic violations, passenger complaints, etc. for use by the Department of Transport in granting and renewing individual taxi licenses.
- Provide driver protection — assuming privacy issues are addressed, the smartphone ID of particularly abusive or disorderly passengers could be flagged, allowing drivers to decline a fare.
- Provide Government subsidies for the repair, upkeep and detailing of individual vehicles to motivate drivers to improve their scores.
- Provide a financial reward scheme for drivers with the highest composite scores.
Could Hong Kong’s taxi industry be vastly improved through some of these initiatives which could minimize complaints and incentivize drivers to improve their service? Singapore currently employs several similar strategies and should be further assessed whether some might be adopted for use in Hong Kong.