By Harvey Kong

Copyright scmp

A written test for Hong Kong’s aspiring taxi drivers will be made easier from November, with the number of questions related to prominent locations and route identification “substantially” reduced and simplified, transport authorities have said.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Tuesday she believed that the changes would allow the test to evolve with the times.
The Transport Department said the Taxi Written Test would be “further enhanced” from November to better align with the needs of the sector while still maintaining a certain level of assessment.
The revamp includes merging some parts of the existing assessment, rearranging parts of the test and changing the number and content of questions.
“Having considered that modern navigation technology can now assist taxi drivers in quickly locating destinations and planning the most efficient driving routes, the Taxi Written Test will substantially reduce and simplify the questions on prominent locations and route identification,” the department said.
“The question bank will also be updated, with a view to better aligning the test with practical needs and ensuring that the candidates who pass the test possess the necessary professional knowledge and qualities of taxi drivers and have a basic understanding and grasp of the major road networks and frequently visited locations.”
There would also be new questions to assess the knowledge of candidates on a series of measures introduced to enhance the service quality of cabs, such as the taxi fleet regime and the demerit point system for drivers.

The number of questions would be reduced from 90 to 75, but the passing criteria and test duration would remain unchanged.
Speaking to lawmakers at a bills committee meeting for the government’s proposal to regulate ride-hailing, transport minister Chan said the changes would allow the test to meet the operational needs of the sector.
“I believe these changes will actively respond to the demands that the taxi sector has made over the past years,” she said.
The revamp comes as Hong Kong faces challenges in recruiting sufficient drivers for its new premium taxi fleets, as well as efforts by the government to regulate the ride-hailing sector.
While it is currently illegal for drivers of private vehicles to accept paid customers without a hire-car permit, the government has proposed to regulate the sector through a licensing system that sets requirements for vehicle age and insurance.
Not only will ride-hailing platforms be required to have licences, but individual drivers will also need to obtain separate permits for themselves and their vehicles.
Chan said authorities were considering allowing those with a taxi driver licence to register for a permit to provide ride-hailing services without the need to take another exam, adding that the measure would help solve the shortage and ensure the development of the point-to-point transport sector.
According to department figures, an adjustment to the test in 2020 helped attract more people to apply for the assessment, with the number of candidates increasing from fewer than 10,000 in 2019 to about 14,000 in 2024.
It added that the passing rate rose from 37 per cent in 2019 to 60 per cent last year, showing the enhancement of the test had “a notably positive effect” in attracting newcomers to the profession.