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Letters | Will premium Hong Kong taxis offer an excuse to the rest to keep up the poor service?
- Good customer service should be a requirement for all Hong Kong taxis, not just a higher-priced luxury alternative
- Why does the government seem to believe that providing good service is not a basic requirement of all taxis on the road?
I am writing in response to the article, “Premium taxi service fails to consider interests of consumers, says Hong Kong competition watchdog” (April 17).
The Hong Kong government is planning to launch a premium taxi service, with three franchised fleets of 200 vehicles each. The major difference between the luxury service and the conventional one would be the price. For the premium taxis, flag-fall fares will be 50 per cent higher, as they are supposed to provide passengers with better service and more advanced features.
However, I am left confused as to why the government believes that providing good service is not a basic requirement of all taxis on the road? The question of taxi drivers’ attitude and the condition of their vehicles has already aroused great concern in society. I don’t think launching a premium taxi service is the right solution. Consumers have the right to receive good service when they pay for anything, including taxi rides.
Who’s to say the premium service will not just provide an excuse to the drivers of conventional taxis to carry on with their impolite attitude? They may think it is only right, as their passengers are paying a lower price. They will not be grateful to the passengers, even though their livelihood depends on them. There will only be a distortion of the mindset and the premium service will send out the wrong message.
I feel the government has failed to examine the causes of poor taxi service. There are more measures to be considered, such as reducing tunnel fees to reduce overheads while raising flag-fall fares overall to improve revenue and attract new blood to the industry.
Haley Yu, Tseung Kwan O
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