Everybody’s got a taxi story. Whether it involves an inebriated trip home, an agitated back seat/front seat debate about politics or something decidedly more gross (bodily fluids, for one), time spent as a passenger in those hurtling red (or green, or blue) cars is inevitably memorable. But at the end of the day, how much do we really know about what goes on after the meter clicks off? Drivers, like everyone else in this rat race, are just trying to make a living. In the process, they cope with challenges ranging from lawsuits to bathroom breaks. Most poignantly, though, from a front-row vantage point these veterans bear witness to the evolution of a fast-changing city. With 18,000 taxi drivers careening through Hong Kong streets, we figured there would be at least a few good yarns. Turns out, there are many more than that. The Secret Lives of Taxi Drivers Yannie Chan uncovers the nuances of four drivers’ daily lives—from the hazards of the road to where they go to the bathroom. Cabbies vs. Customers Outlandish stories from both the front and back seat. (Extended online feature) Off-Duty Eats Jessica Ng ventures out to the diners frequented by Hong Kong cabbies, and discover what makes them so popular. The Great HK Taxi Scavenger Hunt Win a prize! License Woes Because of limited supply, taxi licenses have become a lucrative investment—but the high rents of taxi licenses have made taxi drivers’ lives miserable. “You need to pay at least $6 million for an urban taxi license, and even more if you want to buy a license for a Lantau taxi, because there are only 50 taxis on the Island,” says To Sum-tong, director of Motor Transport Workers General Taxi Driver Branch. “A license cost just over $4 million in January, but the price has surged drastically because a lot of mainland investors have bought up the permits.” In Hong Kong, to own a taxi you need to get hold of a permit issued by the Transport Department. In the past, taxi drivers were also permit holders, but increasingly, licenses are being purchased by investors who expect steady returns on their investments. And as the price of the license rises, so does the cost to rent a taxi, which drivers are struggling to pay. This hot market for taxi licenses has been created because the government has not issued new permits since 1994. The Transport Department tells “HK Magazine” that it stopped issuing new licenses because the number of taxis and service level are adequate to meet public demand. It is not currently planning to issue new permits. So You Wanna Be A Taxi Driver? Below are some questions on the multiple-choice exam that you must take to become a Hong Kong taxi driver. How well can you do? In order to take the exam, first you have to have held a regular driver’s license up to three years. Then you go to the Transport Department’s website, pay a couple hundred bucks to register for the test and study the booklet they give out. The first part of the exam covers the laws and regulations related to operating a taxi; the second asks you to name the locations of “tourist scenic spots, hotels, shopping malls and plazas, public facilities (e.g. hospitals, sports grounds, parks, etc.), schools, government buildings, commercial buildings, public and private housing estates and other well-known places in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories and Lantau Island”; and the third quizzes your knowledge of the road user’s code, which is pretty similar stuff to the private-car license test—identifying road signs and the like. “Actually, the exam is very difficult, because you have to answer 150 questions and they only allow five mistakes,” says Sam Kwong, 29, the owner of a bun shop in Tseung Kwan O who took the test five years ago so that he could have a back-up career in case he was ever unemployed. Kwong passed, but decided ultimately not to become a full-time driver. “The business is okay,” he concedes, “but the running cost of renting a taxi and for the gas is quite a lot of money, too. If you decide to work as a full-time taxi driver, you basically won’t get any holidays.” Here are eight questions from all three sections that were on the exam as of September 2010, according to the Transport Department’s website. The funny thing is, if you pass the written test, no road test is required. That explains a lot. 1. Which of the following does not fulfill the requirements for construction of a taxi meter? a) It should not be sealed for the ease of repairs in case of mechanical breakdown. b) The fare dial is fitted with an illuminating device. c) The amount of additional fares in progressive increments of the lowest fare as prescribed is indicated on the fare dial. d) The height of the figures indicating the fare and the additional fares is not less than 10 millimeters. 2. Where is Yan Oi Street? a) Hung Hom b) To Kwa Wan c) San Po Kong d) Tsz Wan Shan 3. Where is Metro City? a) Tuen Mun b) Tseung Kwan O c) Tsuen Wan d) Fanling 4. Where is the Tuen Mun Central Library? a) Tin Hau Road b) San Tsing Street c) Tuen Hi Road d) Yan Ching Street 5. Where is the Wan Chai Sports Ground? a) Lung King Street b) Sports Road c) Tonnochy Road d) Fleming Road 6. Before leaving your vehicle, you must: a) Switch off the engine. b) Make sure the handbrake is on firmly. c) Switch off the engine and make sure the handbrake is on firmly. 7. This traffic sign means: a) Give way to pedestrians. b) Give way to traffic on major road. c) Give way to heavy vehicles. 8.This traffic sign means: a) Routes be used by bicycles and tricycles. No motor vehicles. b) No bicycles. c) Parking for bicycles only. *The painting on the cover of this issue—“Taxi,” 2012—is by Chow Chun-fai, a local artist who frequently uses taxis as his subject. See more of his work at www.chowchunfai.com .