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LCQ8: Cross-boundary container truck drivers
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     Following is a question by the Hon Frankie Yick and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Yau Shing-mu, in the Legislative Council today (May 27):

Question:

     Some members of the cross-boundary container freight industry have pointed out that the industry has all along been facing the problems of driver shortage and succession gap in recent years. According to the information at the end of 2012, over 40 000 people held a licence for driving container trucks in Hong Kong, but there were merely about 4 700 registered cross-boundary container truck drivers. They have also said that since the mainland authorities have set an age limit for container truck drivers and in-service drivers are generally of older age, it is increasingly difficult for them to hire cross-boundary container truck drivers. They are worried that there will be an even greater demand for cross-boundary truck drivers upon the commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and that if the shortage of drivers cannot be alleviated, the development of Hong Kong's logistics industry will be stifled. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it knows the respective number of drivers in the cross-boundary container freight industry in each of the past five years, and set out a breakdown by age group in the table in Annex I;

(2) of the measures currently taken by the authorities to alleviate the shortage of drivers in the cross-boundary container freight industry; whether they have assessed the effectiveness of such measures; whether the authorities will enhance such measures to dovetail with the development of the logistics industry; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) whether it knows if the relevant mainland authorities have currently suspended the handling of applications from Hong Kong drivers for mainland heavy vehicle driving licences (mainland driving licences); if so, whether it has assessed the impacts brought about by the continuation of such a situation on the cross-boundary container freight industry of Hong Kong; whether the authorities will take the initiative to look into this matter and assist Hong Kong drivers in applying for mainland driving licences; whether it will, in the long run, explore with the mainland authorities the direct issuance of mainland driving licences without test to container truck drivers in Hong Kong; if it will, of the details; if not, of the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     My reply to the Hon Frankie Yick's question is as follows:

(1) Any person who wishes to drive a container truck must hold a valid driving licence for articulated vehicles issued by the Transport Department (TD). Moreover, according to the requirement of the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong, only designated drivers may drive cross-boundary trucks (including container trucks) between Guangdong and Hong Kong. Based on TD's information, the numbers of persons fulfilling the above requirements for driving cross-boundary container trucks over the past five years (as at the end of each year) are listed in Annex II.

(2) As for the demand for cross-boundary container truck drivers, TD's records show that there were over 44 000 people in Hong Kong holding valid driving licences for articulated vehicles as at the end of 2014, yet only about 4 500 of them were designated drivers for cross-boundary container trucks during the same period. It is believed that the gap is due to the personal choice of drivers and the better working and employment conditions offered by other industries. To encourage more people to join the cross-boundary container freight industry, the Government had liaised with the Mainland authorities and a dedicated counter was set up at the Shenzhen Vehicle Administration Office (SVAO) in September 2011 to handle applications for driving licences by Hong Kong drivers. Guidelines, points-to-note and procedures on the application for driving licence by Hong Kong drivers have also been formulated for the reference of interested persons. In addition, with the support of the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council, the Government sponsored the Hong Kong Container Tractor Owner Association to launch the Training Programme for the Cross-boundary Container Truckers in 2011-12. By providing training to meet the written examination requirements and assistance in filing licence applications to the Mainland authorities, the Programme assisted individuals holding a valid Hong Kong driving licence for articulated vehicles to obtain the corresponding Mainland driving licence. However, the Programme was terminated in March 2012 due to insufficient enrolment.

     The Government will maintain dialogue with the cross-boundary container freight sector on the operation and development of the industry, and will consider any views or recommendations that the sector may put forward regarding the shortage of cross-boundary container truck drivers.

(3) In response to the enquiry from the cross-boundary truck trade, TD has liaised with the relevant Mainland authorities and has been advised that the SVAO continues to handle applications for Mainland container truck driving licences by Hong Kong drivers. TD has informed the local truck trade of the application details.

     The proposal on requesting the Mainland authorities to directly issue Mainland driving licences without test to Hong Kong container truck drivers must be considered with care. This is because such arrangement is generally carried out on a reciprocal basis. In other words, the Mainland authorities may request for equivalent treatment for Mainland drivers in Hong Kong when considering our proposal. Taking into account the road safety concern that driving commercial vehicles requires a higher level of skills and commercial vehicles are driven on roads for longer period of time, as well as the need to secure job opportunities for local drivers, we will have great difficulty in offering any reciprocal arrangements.

Ends/Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Issued at HKT 14:30

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