Coronavirus Hong Kong: bookings pour in for new ‘anti-epidemic taxi’ fleet, but drivers say they are already facing discrimination
- Participating drivers are paid about HK$3,000 a day to ferry coronavirus patients who have not been admitted to hospital to and from clinics
- But some say they are already getting ‘strange’ looks from others, and discriminatory treatment at gas stations
Hong Kong’s so-called anti-epidemic taxi drivers, recruited to ferry Covid-19 patients to and from clinics, received more than 750 bookings on the service’s debut on Friday, though some cabbies complained they were already receiving “strange” looks and discriminatory treatment.
The anti-epidemic taxi fleet, identified as such by labels on the vehicles’ exteriors, swung into action on Friday morning to provide an exclusive service for coronavirus patients from 9am to 6pm. The scheme allows patients with mild symptoms who have yet to be admitted to hospital to visit seven designated outpatient clinics instead – a bid to ease the strain of Hong Kong’s surging fifth wave on the public health care system.
Drivers are paid about HK$3,000 (US$385) a day to take part in the scheme, some of which goes to the vehicles’ owners as rent.
The taxi industry said more than 750 orders were taken on Friday with over 300 flooding in within 20 minutes of the booking system opening at 7am.
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Wearing a full kit of mask, goggles, face shield and gown – as required under the scheme – cabby Ho Wai-sum, 58, on Friday morning said he was still waiting to receive his first order in Yuen Long from a central allocation system, but some people were already treating him as if he were infected himself.
“[On Thursday] I parked my vehicle near the Yuen Long housing estate where I live, and a resident came to ask me if I would implicate all the residents of the housing estate in compulsory testing if I got infected,” he said. “In other words, he hoped I could remove my vehicle and park elsewhere.”
Ho said he was also told by staff at a petrol station to come only at a specific time to fill up, and not to leave his vehicle, even to use the toilet, while at their establishment.
“I can feel I’m being discriminated against by the people around me. They all give me this strange look. Even my wife asked me not to take this job because she may get infected and implicate her relatives,” he said.
But Ho said the extra pay was worth it to him, even if it meant sleeping in his taxi while taking part in the scheme to avoid infecting his wife.
“I am very honest. This is all for the money,” he said. “I’ve only had a meagre income of a few thousand dollars in recent months, but I need to pay HK$6,000 a month in rent, repay loans and support my elderly parents.”
Ho added that he would take extra precautions, such as wearing two masks, to reduce the risk of infection. “I really need to survive,” he said.
Another taxi driver, John Chu, 35, said he got his first order in the morning, an 18-minute ride taking a patient from Tuen Mun to Yuen Long.
“The system only gave me 15 minutes’ notice to take the order before the booking time, but the whole process was smooth,” he said.
He admitted the protective gear made driving more difficult, but said he would slow down and use extra caution.
“Driving a vehicle is not easy when you have to put so many things on your body. The goggles may obstruct your vision, so I have to be extra careful while driving to ensure that I give a safe ride to my passengers,” he said.
Unlike Ho, Chu said he was less interested in the money than the opportunity to help Covid-19 patients.
“HK$3,000 a day is not really that much, as I need to pay for the vehicle rent, the fuel expenses and parking fees,” he said. “I simply want to help them, as it’s not easy for them to get transport services.”
Chu, who lives with his 69-year-old father, said he also planned to sleep in his taxi while taking part in the scheme.
“I also feel I’m being discriminated against, as other vehicles or people may keep their distance from you. I am afraid I may be rejected from going to some specific places later,” he said.
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The scheme requires taxi drivers to fully disinfect the interior of their vehicles before they start work and after every trip. Drivers also have to take a daily rapid antigen test, and only those who test negative can continue to offer their services.
To reduce infection risks, passengers must sit in the back and avoid contact with the driver, and all the windows must be kept open to maintain air circulation.
Cabby Ng Kwok-ying, 63, who took his first order from Tai Po to Sha Tin at 2.30pm, said he had a smooth ride and was prepared for bias from people.
“Being an anti-epidemic taxi driver, it is not easy as people will give you this weird look from time to time especially when I need to remove my protective gear before going to the toilet,” he said.
Chau Kwok-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association, said the fleet got off to a smooth start on the first day with orders gradually coming into the system.
“The system has started to run smoothly after ironing out some teething problems. We will discuss with the Transport Department whether we need to add more anti-epidemic taxis later,” he said.
Meanwhile, Inchcape Group, parent company of Crown Motors, sole distributor of Toyota taxis in Hong Kong with a market share of 98 per cent, supplied 100 free sets of protective shields to fit to the back of the driver’s seat as extra protection against Covid-19.
