The Transport Bureau has plans to launch a study into the taxi service in Macao this year, evaluating the fleet’s capacity and the service levels that are being offered by regular and special taxis.
One particular passenger gripe – the alleged rudeness of many taxi drivers – will not be evaluated, however, as officials worry that it cannot be done objectively or fairly.
In a written response to queries from lawmaker Ngan Iek Hang, the director of the bureau Lam Hin San stated that service standards remain the responsibility of the taxi companies themselves, as they are legally required to offer training to drivers and monitor driver behaviour.
[See more: Opinion: Macao can forget about being an international destination until it fixes its taxi problem]
Lee also mentioned that the Transport Bureau supported the idea of taxi companies developing an online booking platform by themselves or in collaboration with one another, but stressed that the authorities would not accept passengers being charged excessive fees.
With just 1,518 taxis for 700,000 people, the SAR is currently faced with a drastic shortage of cabs and is unable to meet demand from either residents or the large numbers of tourists who swell Macao’s population at weekends. To ameliorate the problem, officials launched a public tender late last year that is expected to put 500 new taxis on the streets over the coming months, but readily admit that it may not be enough.
Exacerbating the problem is the lack of ride-hailing services such as Uber, which terminated operations in Macao in 2017, following a protracted legal battle with local authorities.
