Only 1,300 premium taxis – one-third of the government’s target – have hit Hong Kong’s streets since the new fleets were launched in July, with industry players blaming unattractive earnings, a lack of charging facilities and competition from ride-hailing services for the slow roll-out.
The Transport Department, which confirmed the figures on Wednesday, did not say whether it would revoke the licences of operators who failed to meet the government’s minimum vehicle requirements by November.
The latest official data shows just 1,300 premium taxis across five fleets are in service, well below the government’s target of 3,500.
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About half of the taxis are electric, while some 1,400 drivers have joined the operators.
When launched in July, the new fleets started with about 1,000 premium taxis, already falling short of the government’s initial target of 60 per cent – or 2,100 – of the 3,500 vehicles.
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Among the fleets, about 500 taxis were in service under Joie, falling short of its 800-vehicle target.