Following is a question by the Hon Lau Ka-keung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (April 29):
     
Question:

     From April 1, 2026, all taxi drivers are required to provide at least two types of electronic payment (e-payment) means, including one QR code e-payment means (such as Alipay, WeChat Pay or BoC Pay) and one non-QR code e-payment means (such as Octopus, credit cards or Faster Payment System). Drivers may flexibly choose the e-payment means based on their operational needs, and stickers showing the available e-payment means should be displayed at designated positions on taxi windows for passengers' easy identification. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the following information since the implementation of the new regulations: (i) the number of active taxi drivers and the year-on-year rate of change compared to before the implementation of the new regulations; and (ii) the complaints received by the authorities regarding taxis, with a breakdown by type of complaints;

(2) given that some taxi drivers were already accepting fares via e-payment means (such as Octopus or WeChat Pay) prior to the implementation of the new regulations, whether the authorities have collected transaction data from various e-payment platforms after the implementation of the new regulations (including monthly transaction counts, transaction amounts and number of users) to assess the effectiveness of the new regulations; if so, of the relevant data and their year-on-year rates of change compared to before the implementation of the new regulations, and set out the breakdown in a table; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) as there are views that e-payments may involve settlement delays and additional expenses arising from e-payments, thereby increasing taxi drivers' operating costs, whether the authorities have plans to liaise with relevant e-payment platforms and acquirers to encourage them to shorten settlement times and adjust downward relevant transaction fees, so as to alleviate the pressure on taxi drivers;

(4) as it has been reported that individual e-payment platforms charge passengers additional handling fees, which may easily lead passengers to mistakenly believe that taxi drivers are overcharging, of the measures the authorities have put in place to encourage relevant e-payment platforms to waive handling fees;

(5) as there are views that unstable network signals in certain frontier areas make e-payments difficult, and the Transport Department has indicated that the Digital Policy Office is collaborating with network providers to enhance overall signal reception, of the current progress in this regard; how the authorities will step up promotional efforts to remind drivers that the Government provides free Wi-Fi signals in frontier areas;

(6) as it has been reported that some drivers have cited unstable signals in remote areas as a reason for claiming that e-payment means are unavailable, resulting in passengers having to pay fares in cash, of the measures the authorities have put in place to strengthen monitoring and enforcement, as well as to enhance publicity and public education, so as to protect the rights and interests of passengers; and

(7) as it has been reported that some taxi drivers have chosen to leave the industry due to unfamiliarity with e-payment operations, whether the authorities will collaborate with the industry and e-payment platforms, etc. to provide technical training and support services for taxi drivers; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The Government is determined to enhance the quality of taxi services and has put forward various measures in recent years through a multi-pronged approach. One of the key measures is to require taxi drivers to provide electronic payment (e-payment) means so as to offer passengers more options for settling fares, thereby enhancing the travel experience for both citizens and visitors. Our reply in response to the various questions raised by the Hon Lau Ka-keung is as follows.
     
(1) and (7) All taxi drivers must provide at least two types of e-payment means (including one QR code e-payment means and one non-QR code e-payment means) starting from April 1, 2026. Since the implementation of the aforesaid requirement, the Transport Department (TD) has been closely monitoring the situation and has noted that the overall operation has been generally smooth. Taxi drivers and passengers generally welcomed the new requirement, and considered that the requirement can help reduce the time spent on giving changes, enhance the competitiveness of taxis, and provide greater convenience for passengers.

     Currently, there are about 46 000 active taxi drivers in Hong Kong. To help taxi drivers prepare for the new requirement, since August 2025, the TD has actively promoted and educated frontline drivers on the installation and use of e-payment means through different channels, including distributing promotional materials across the territory (including at dedicated liquefied petroleum gas station stations for taxis, the airport, boundary control points, and taxi stands at major railway stations), promoting the new requirement in the regularly published Taxi Newsletter, meeting with the trade, and organising workshops and outreach activities in collaboration with various e-payment platforms. Major e-payment platforms have also established customer service hotlines to handle enquiries and provide relevant support services.

     As of April 17, 2026, the TD has received a total of 65 complaints related to e-payment means on taxis, mainly concerning taxi drivers failing to provide e-payment means and certain e-payment platforms charging passengers transaction fees, etc. The TD has completed processing 33 of the cases received and issued replies, and is processing the remaining cases.

     The TD will continue to monitor the implementation of the new requirement, and collect feedback from drivers and passengers through the taxi trade and major e-payment platforms, with a view to exploring ways to step up publicity and education for smoother overall implementation.

(2) Currently, there are a number of e-payment platforms available for taxi drivers to choose from, including Octopus, Alipay, WeChat Pay, BoC Pay, credit cards, and Faster Payment System (FPS). Some e-payment platforms also support multiple e-payment means, including local and Mainland e-payment applications.

     We understand that, as of now, more than 49 000 taxi drivers have registered for the Octopus App for Business or are equipped with Octopus Mobile Point of Sale (POS). Also, more than 5 000 taxis have been installed with all-in-one mobile payment devices provided by different e-payment platforms. The aforementioned applications or devices are able to support multiple e-payment means. As for the actual transaction data of various e-payment platforms (such as the number of transactions and transaction amounts), they are commercial information of the relevant platforms, and the TD does not keep such data.

(3) and (4) Depending on the operational strategies and business models of different e-payment platforms, some service providers may charge taxi drivers or passengers platform service fees, or offer various discounts to attract passengers to use their platforms to pay fares. Such platform service fees do not form part of the taxi fare. Currently, a number of e-payment platform service providers have announced that they would continue to waive transaction fees for taxi drivers and passengers. We believe that the fees relating to the payment of taxi fares through e-payment means will be maintained at a reasonable level through market competition, and passengers will have a variety of payment options to choose from. If passengers choose to pay taxi fares via e-payment platforms, they may check with the taxi driver first on whether any additional platform service fees apply.

     Most e-payment platforms in the market now allow drivers and passengers to view the transaction records immediately after a transaction. As for the arrangement regarding the transfer of fares to the taxi driver's account, this would depend on the setting of each platform. Some platforms allow taxi drivers to have the options of having the fare amount transferred to their bank accounts on the day of transaction (or on the following day), or deposited immediately into their electronic wallets in the platform's application.
     
(5) and (6) The TD has noted that mobile network coverage may be unstable at some boundary control points or in remote areas, rendering taxi drivers or passengers unable to use e-payment means to settle fares.
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     In view of the above, the TD has contacted the relevant departments immediately to follow up on the matter. The Digital Policy Office has swiftly provided assistance to enhance the coverage and stability of the Wi-Fi network in the vicinity of the taxi drop-off area at the Shenzhen Bay Port, facilitating free access for those in need to the Government Wi-Fi service. The TD will continue to monitor whether unstable mobile network coverage occurs at specific locations and will follow up as appropriate.

     The TD will work with taxi trade associations and driver groups to step up publicity and education efforts through various means, including educational videos, to guide frontline drivers on how to use the Wi-Fi services provided by the Government.

Ends/Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Issued at HKT 11:33

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