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Vivian Au

Oscar Liu

Police have launched an investigation after a driver on a mainland Chinese ride-hailing platform purportedly told a passenger he was not a Hong Kong identity card holder, while the Immigration Department has also expressed worries about illegal employment activities.
In a reply to the Post, the force said on Tuesday that it had received a report about the case of suspected illegal passenger services.
Police launched the probe after Terry Leung, a 38-year-old sales representative, filmed his ride-hailing experience in the city and shared it on social media.
The videos show the Mandarin-speaking driver, whom Leung said he had booked on the Amap platform on Monday for a trip to Tsuen Wan, admitting that he did not hold a local ID card.
Leung said he filed a police report on the same day.
Amap is operated by Alibaba Group Holding, which owns the South China Morning Post.
Police said they would investigate and follow up with any individuals found to be violating other laws, including breaching their conditions of stay.
“We will continue to deploy appropriate resources, based on operational priorities, to combat illegal activities like unauthorised rentals or carrying passengers for reward,” the force said.
No arrests had been made as of Tuesday evening.
The Transport Department said it would send a letter to the platform to reiterate that any ride-hailing operator must be lawful and compliant when providing paid passenger services.

Leung told the Post that he had used a coupon offered by AlipayHK to hail a car on the Amap platform to take his two sons from their home in Riviera Gardens in Tsuen Wan to Sha Tsui Road for a football game.
“[The driver] asked for the last four digits of my phone number in Mandarin, and that’s when I realised he didn’t understand Cantonese,” Leung said.
“I found it strange and decided to ask him directly. He was completely honest and told me everything.
“When I asked if he had an identity card, he said he didn’t ... I wondered how he could have a car without an ID card, as you can’t rent one. He told me his boss gave him the car to drive,” Leung said.
According to Leung’s ride details, his trip was arranged by a supplier named Universe Call. The driver had completed 371 trips and received a rating of 4.5 stars.
It is illegal for drivers of private vehicles to accept paid customers without a hire-car permit. The city’s ride-hailing platforms, including US-based Uber and Singapore-based Tada, as well as the mainland’s Amap and Didi Chuxing, operate unregulated.
Last month, a mainland visitor was found to have offered ride-hailing services without the required permits. He admitted to offering paid rides on Amap on July 7, just three days after entering Hong Kong on a two-way permit.
He was jailed for two months and disqualified from driving in the city for a year.
The Immigration Department also said on Tuesday that it was concerned about the trend of illegal employment activities and would work closely with relevant departments to take enforcement actions.
Amap said it worked with local vehicle companies to ensure the convenience and reliability of its mobility services.
“We have zero tolerance for any illegal behaviour and will continue to urge our partners to strictly abide by laws and regulations,” the company said.
Hong Kong plans to legalise ride-hailing services in the first half of next year. The new framework will require platforms and drivers to have renewable licences, with a cap on the total number of vehicles each company can operate.


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A screenshot from the passenger’s video. Immigration authorities have said they are worried about the trend of illegal employment. Photo: Threads/Terrylky1127

The passenger says his ride-hailing driver only spoke Mandarin during the journey. Photo: Threads/Terrylky1127

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Passenger films interaction with Mandarin-speaking driver who admits to not holding a Hong Kong ID card


Passenger films interaction with Mandarin-speaking driver who admits to not holding a Hong Kong ID card.


Hong Kong police probe case of ride-hailing driver working ‘without ID card’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Passenger films interaction with Mandarin-speaking driver who admits to not holding a Hong Kong ID card

Passenger films interaction with Mandarin-speaking driver who admits to not holding a Hong Kong ID card