How to make Hong Kong taxi rides better and safer in times of Covid

I like taxis and take them frequently, as they are fast and convenient. With the ongoing pandemic in Hong Kong this year, it is a safer mode of transport too, in terms of social distancing.

However, infection cases among taxi drivers can be seen as posing a risk for passengers. A few measures could help alleviate fear for all parties involved.

Drivers can receive free coronavirus tests, but many have not done so. Considering that an estimated 200,000 people hold a taxi driving licence, the government should increase the number of testing centres and put them in more convenient locations to enable more efficient testing. Drivers could be encouraged to display their test results inside their taxis, so passengers can feel more assured of their safety.

Taxi trade groups provide their members with bottles of hand sanitiser that drivers strap to the back of the front seat inside their cab. However, drivers who are not members are not provided with this extra resource. Is it possible to ask all taxis to make this mandatory?

Many taxi passengers these days will lower the windows to guarantee good air flow. This is understandable, but many of the window controls in older cabs are broken. Drivers who operate old five-seater cabs often do not own their vehicles and so do little to maintain them. Taxi owners should address such cases as soon as they are notified.

These measures can hopefully improve taxi services and enable drivers to survive in what is a difficult time for the industry.

Jacqueline Kwan, Mid-Levels