Alliance of Hong Kong taxi operators preparing to go head to head with Uber, as it announces new ride-hailing app
- The Hong Kong Taxi Council says 1,000 drivers have so far signed up for the platform, which will go live in the coming months
- The news comes a day after a taxi firm pulled out of a planned collaboration with Uber, reportedly after a backlash from the taxi industry
An alliance of 17 taxi groups is gearing up for a head-on battle against ride-hailing firm Uber with a forthcoming app that it claims can match the popular Uber app, and do more besides.
“Whatever Uber can do, we do it better. Whatever Uber cannot do, we can,” declared Hung Wing-tat, chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi Council, an organisation comprising taxi owners, drivers and other stakeholders, which promotes service and development of the taxi industry.
He announced on Wednesday that the council would launch the app, called eTaxi, in the coming months, with plans to ultimately include all the city’s 40,000 taxi drivers in the service.
Hung said the council was still inviting drivers to join the platform, which would be officially launched on the market when a sufficient number of cabbies are gathered.
“This app is jointly financed and developed by the 17 taxi groups and we are seeking more funding support from other stakeholders,” he said, adding that so far about 1,000 drivers had signed up for the platform.
