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Amid the Hong Kong Government’s ongoing study on ride-hailing platform regulations, Uber today shared thoughts regarding the regulatory principles at a media event. Uber believes that a sustainable framework shall prioritize rider and driver safety and service quality, while aiming to preserve the safety, flexibility, and reliability of ridesharing services for Hong Kong residents. The overall goal is to create a balanced and sustainable regulation where supply and demand can naturally align.

Addressing Hong Kong’s increasing demand for point-to-point mobility

Uber has commissioned a global consulting firm AECOM to conduct a research on point-to-point transportation demand and supply in Hong Kong. The research has shown demand for personalised, point-to-point transport services will continue to increase in the next decade or so, reaching over 1.4 million in passenger intended trips* per day by 2034. Currently, 19% of point-to-point transport demand remains unmet. This burgeoning appetite for point-to-point transportation underscores the need to integrate ridesharing services into the mobility ecosystem.

“Ridesharing complements—not competes with—traditional taxis,” said Estyn Chung, General Manager of Uber Hong Kong. “Unlike taxis which operate 24 hours a day,  around 60% of Uber drivers drive fewer than 20 hours a week. The driving hours of rideshare drivers only equate to around 1/6 of normal taxis. Ridesharing drivers should be allowed to work flexibly, which is critical to serving varying demand.”

Uber’s Proposed Principles: Prioritizing Safety, Reliability, Flexibility

Uber welcomes the Government’s direction of regulating ride-hailing platforms, and proposes that the future regulatory framework should center rider and driver safety and service quality, while avoiding excessive or overly complex licensing mechanisms. 

Ensuring drivers have the flexibility to choose when and how they work is crucial for the success of ridesharing in Hong Kong. This flexibility ensures that the supply of drivers can match real-time rider demand, benefiting both drivers and riders. Such a flexible regime can also avoid detrimental effects for both riders and drivers, ultimately reducing service reliability, ride options, and limiting economic opportunities.

Suggested key elements for future regulatory framework:

Platform Operators
  • Platform should be licensed with safety and service quality measures in place, including:
    • All trips should be insured
    • A two way rating system to enable all platform users to rate their trip experience 
Rideshare Drivers
  • Drivers should be licensed, pass background checks and have a full driving license.
Rideshare Vehicles
  • Vehicles must be 
    • Safe and road-worthy
    • Undergone regular inspections

“Safety and flexibility are the foundation of ridesharing’s success in Hong Kong and across the globe. Over the 11 years of operation in the city, Uber has acted as a vital lifeline for many, and an additional source of income for tens of thousands of driver-partners – especially during the pandemic and its aftermath. 

The beauty of ridesharing is that riders can always get a ride, whatever the time of day.  Regulatory regimes limiting flexibility aren’t good for reliability, and the government should consider this when drafting the regulation to put public interests first.” Estyn says.