Taxis have finally joined other transport operators in offering Octopus card services after 10 years of negotiations, with 20 green cabs becoming the first to install the system yesterday.
The 20 New Territories taxis, owned by Yellow Taxi Group, have been kitted out with Octopus card readers in a pivotal trial that will last three months.
The taxi-rental group's managing director, Wong Yu-ting, said more cabs would join the scheme if it proved helpful in boosting passenger numbers. 'I believe it will not be difficult to see a 20 to 30 per cent increase in passenger turnover if they find that taxis are now more convenient to take,' he said.
The system could also help drivers with keeping the books as the accounts will be automatically updated by the system, he said.
But some taxi drivers are less optimistic.
'I don't see how it will bolster our income; instead it will only create problems,' said Kwok Chi-piu, chairman of an association that represents 6,000 urban taxi drivers.