By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-10-22 04:28:36 | Updated at 2024-10-22 06:44:04
2 hours ago
Four Hong Kong taxi drivers have been slapped with the highest demerit points for overcharging and refusing passengers since a new penalty system was put in place a month ago, the city leader has said as he promised strict enforcement.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday the penalties against the drivers would create a deterrent effect against misconduct, as the authorities continued to combat and report shady practices in the taxi industry.
“So far, four taxi drivers have been given 10 points under our [demerit] system, including overcharging fares and refusing to take passengers,” he told reporters before the weekly meeting of the Executive Council, Hong Kong’s top decision making body.
“We will take legal action and will definitely follow up on actual violations of rules. I also believe that these are a small number of black sheep as most taxi drivers provide services with the intention of doing a good job,” he added.
Under the system that came into force on September 22, taxi drivers will be given demerit points for 11 types of misconduct. Overcharging passengers, or refusing or neglecting to accept hires, would incur 10 points in a driver’s disciplinary record.
Cabbies would be disqualified from driving cabs for three months if they accumulated 15 points within two years.
