Hong Kong to curb illegal ride-hailing by tying permits to car owner: minister

Restricting permits to registered vehicle owners under Hong Kong’s proposed regulatory framework for legalising ride-hailing services will help address the problem of illegal drivers and prevent speculative trading of licences, the city’s transport chief has said.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan on Friday also said that licensed drivers with registered vehicles could choose to register with multiple ride-hailing platforms to encourage “healthy competition”.

The government unveiled a proposal on Thursday to regulate ride-hailing services by the end of next year, a move that will end more than a decade of the industry operating in a legal grey area.

Under the proposed new measures, ride-hailing platforms must obtain a service licence and drivers are required to secure a vehicle permit.

The minister said that by restricting permits to registered vehicle owners, platforms could better monitor and eliminate illegal drivers.

“If we bind the driver to the vehicle, then the platform can regulate it and prevent illegal workers from providing ride-hailing services,” she told a radio show, adding it would be easier to take enforcement action against unlicensed drivers.