Steve was introduced to Uber by his friend and has been driving with Uber for 1.5 years, to earn extra income and take care of his charter business between Hong Kong and Mainland. However, the pandemic significantly reduced the number of customers travelling between Hong Kong and Mainland, causing a drop in his charter business.

“The pandemic was a heavy blow to my charter business , especially the third wave of the pandemic, which seriously affected my income. Fortunately, Uber provided me with another opportunity to earn extra income during the pandemic, so I can continue to make ends meet.”

Steve also recalled that he once picked up a father and son, who were in their 60s and 20s respectively. The son was suffering from poliomyelitis and needed a wheelchair to get around. Steve helped his son on and off rides, and the father was very grateful. “I also have family members who need a wheelchair to get around, so I know the cost of booking a Rehabus is high. The fare does not vary with distance and the relatively high cost of a shorter journey holds people back. Uber provides flexibility for  people with special needs and allows them to order scheduled rides and travel around with greater ease.”

Being able to help people with different needs to travel safely also gives Steve immense job satisfaction. “A lot of riders thank me, especially during rush hour or bad weather when they usually have to wait for quite a while, but Uber allows them to schedule trips without having to brave bad weather conditions.”

Regulatory certainty is critical for Uber to be able to fully invest in Hong Kong and continue providing a flexible and safe travelling option to people in special needs. Help us regulate ridesharing, so we can bring investment and earning opportunities to Hong Kong.