Over 1,000 Sign Up for Hong Kong's New Combined Taxi & Ride-Hailing Test

More than 1,000 applicants have registered for a new combined test for taxi and ride-hailing services in Hong Kong, with lawmakers expecting more people to sign up to meet demand for drivers once the city’s ride-hailing regulatory regime takes effect next year.

The initial response came after the Transport Department replaced the stand-alone taxi driver exam with the new combined test, which allows successful candidates to apply for a taxi driving licence or a ride-hailing vehicle permit after attending relevant courses. The department said the response had been “positive”, with more than 1,000 online applications as of 6pm on Monday, the first day of registration. It said it would organise additional examination sessions depending on demand.

Ben Chan Han-pan, chairman of the Legislative Council’s transport panel, said on Tuesday that he believed more people would sign up for the written test to meet the requirement for applying for a ride-hailing vehicle permit. “This test will allow them to drive taxi and ride-hailing vehicles legally ... I believe the number of candidates will gradually increase,” he said.

Mark Chong Ho-fung, a member of Legco’s transport panel, said the combined written test had been well received as expected, adding that the industry had also seen more applications for the former taxi written test as drivers prepared in advance.