【Taxi Points System】Offence Points Table and Corresponding Penalties｜Taxi Service Improvement Course Details｜Channels for Complaining about Taxi Drivers

The scoring system is divided into 3 levels according to the severity of the crime. The following are the scoring items and corresponding scores:

When the points accumulated by taxi drivers reach a specified level during any two-year period, corresponding actions or penalties will be triggered. If the driver fails to comply with the requirement without reasonable excuse, he commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine of HK$5,000 and imprisonment for one month.

If a taxi driver is sentenced by the court or magistrate to attend a Taxi Service Improvement Course for violating the Taxi Drivers Offence Points Ordinance, or accumulated 10 points within two years, he is required to complete the course within a specified period for every 10 points accumulated.

The total course duration is 4 hours and it is conducted face-to-face in a unit structure. In addition to teaching trainees the offence points system, two-tier penalties and regulations related to taxi drivers, they will also be taught the correct service attitude, customer service standards and emotion management to improve the service quality of the industry.

All taxi drivers are entitled to attend the Taxi Service Improvement Course at their own expense, regardless of whether they have received a compulsory training notice. The course will be measured on the basis of attendance rate, punctuality (lateness for more than 15 minutes or absence will result in failure to complete the course), concentration, and participation in class and group discussions and activities. If students perform satisfactorily and pass the written examination at the end of the course, they will be issued a taxi course completion certificate. Taxi drivers will also have 3 points deducted from their total offence points, except in the following 3 situations:

1. The driver does not have any Taxi Driver Offence Points, i.e. 0 points
2. The driver's total demerit points are 15 or more
3. The Commissioner for Transport has deducted points from a taxi driver’s total offence points incurred in the past 2 years due to the driver’s completion of a taxi service improvement course

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung once pointed out that taxi drivers would not be penalised simply because of complaints from passengers, but would only be penalised after police investigation and evidence collection and court conviction.

If passengers suspect that a taxi driver has violated relevant regulations, they can write down the driver's name, license plate, driver's license number and the date, time and location of the incident and report to the police or call 1823 to lodge a complaint. Passengers can also fill in the Traffic Advisory Committee Complaint Form. If the reporter is willing to testify in court, the Transport Complaints Unit will refer the case to the police, who will issue a ticket to the taxi driver based on the circumstances.