Hong Kong’s cap of 10,000 vehicle permits for ride-hailing services is a “prudent and safe starting point” and the government will dynamically adjust the quota based on operational data, the city’s transport minister has said.
The quota, revealed on Tuesday, prompted lawmakers to call for frequent reviews in the initial months after the scheme’s launch and swift government intervention if services proved insufficient.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan stopped short of setting a specific time frame for reviewing the quota despite criticism from Uber that the number of permits was too low.
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She reiterated that authorities would monitor the situation closely and make adjustments based on data from licensed platforms, such as the number of orders dispatched and cancelled, the number of hours drivers were active online and the number of completed rides.
“As a start, we would like to take a prudent, careful approach to ensure that our proposed regulatory regime will be achieved and implemented in a safe, smooth and progressive manner,” Chan said.
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“I believe that our mechanism and our review should be based on data and should take into account the various operating indicators.”