Government's latest measure regulating ride-hailing starts today

Starting today, the government's latest regulations on ride-hailing cars come into effect, including the increase of fines for the illegal carriage of passengers.

Some ride-hailing drivers say several of their colleagues have already ceased providing services, while many note they had to wait significantly longer today on their ride-hailing platforms.

The police have strengthened their efforts to tackle illegal ride-hailing services in recent years, having made several arrests of drivers who offered illegal carriage services.

With the implementation of the government's latest ride-hailing regulations, drivers without designated licenses could lose their driving qualifications for up to three years if found guilty.

Some full-time ride-hailing drivers say they will accept fewer orders as a result of the measure.

Mr. X, who refuses to provide his name, says he will be more careful when providing ride-hailing services since he could be banned from driving for at least 12 months, and that he is worried his services may leave him with a criminal record.

He further notes he is unsure how the government will proceed with the regulations.

TVB News tried to catch a ride from Tseung Kwan O to Kwun Tong via various ride-hailing platforms earlier today.

With Uber, the waiting time was significantly longer than before, while no rides were available on Amap.

The government earlier estimated the city currently has around 30,000 part-time ride-hailing drivers.

Authorities are set to issue 10,000 ride-hailing licenses to accommodate this figure, but many drivers such as Mr. X, who applied for the programme, are concerned about securing the license.

He says there is a lot of competition in his line of work and he may have to consider another job in the future.

Meanwhile, the government mandates ride-hailing drivers who wish to get their license must first pass a written test issued by the Transport Department.

Comprising two sections, the first section consists of knowledge about routes and customer service, while the second part focuses on user guidelines.