‘Very troublesome': will Hong Kong ride-hailing rules turn Uber drivers away?
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The city is set to legalise ride-hailing platforms in the first half of next year, ending over a decade of operating in a grey area.
Among affected stakeholders are ride-hailing drivers like Yiu, who has earned HK$32,000 to HK$36,000 (US$4,076 to US$4,586) a month since joining Uber almost four years ago with his Tesla vehicle.
'I work as an Uber driver because it gives me the flexibility of when to work, so I can be with my children when needed,' he said.
'But the proposed ride-hailing regulatory framework seems not very friendly to drivers. It is still not clear whether I need to buy a new car to work after my current one turns seven years old.'
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His concerns persist even after Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan acknowledged last week that there was divided public opinion on the seven-year vehicle age limit for ride-hailing and said she would listen more to feedback.
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