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Hong Kong (SAR) Taxis

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  1. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by wtbhotia:
    1. To drive a taxi in HK you need to pass the govt test. http://www.td.gov.hk/filemanager/en/...taxi%20wte.pdf

    2. Depending on the age and model of the taxi, most driver rent them from $300 upwards for the day, the newer 4 seater taxi are the most expensive to rent and can cost $500 per day. Drivers need to put a 3K deposit when hiring the taxi and when they dont want to drive they need to get a replacement driver or still pay for the rent of that day unless its their day off.

    3. Full tank of LPG costs $300 something

    4. 12 hour shift, deduct the $600 + and whatever is left is the daily earnings.

    5. on average taxi drivers can make 10K-13K a month
    They 'd make a bit more if they didn't drive peddle to the metal just because they have a few hundred clear feet in front of them. I guess if they just drive and are not the owner then they don't care about wear and tear on the breaks.

    Saw a TV show where some local guy - IT guy IIRC - who owns two taxis and licences here and bought from a taxi broker.

  2. #32

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    And why is there only the crappy Toyota Comfort that hasn't changed much in design since 1995?


  3. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by virago:
    And why is there only the crappy Toyota Comfort that hasn't changed much in design since 1995?
    Why they don't have estates is what I wonder. I always find it amusing on the way to TC all the taxis with luggage sticking out of the boot and the lid strapped down..

  4. #34

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    estates were tried many years back, in the days of unleaded and no LPG. They were heavy, too fuel thirsty. And they died.

    What's this talk about not needing the knowledge? The written test needs you to navigate routes.


  5. #35

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    Though, I've never seen this guy....yet.

    Something tells me I don't really want to either.


  6. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by justjoe86:
    You know the language here isnt called hongkongese, right? Have a look at a map and tell me how big Canton is, and how much of it is in Hong Kong.

    My mother and father in law were both born in mainland China, both speak Cantonese as their first language. From the tone of this thread, and many others on geoexpat, I feel like I should be embarrassed to say that.
    There is no problem with people speaking Cantonese as their first language, and yes, I realize that this is also the case all over Guangdong. However, if you cross the border to Shenzhen, Guangdong, Zhuhai, wherever, the percentage of taxi drivers you can hold a fluent conversation in Mandarin with skyrockets. In my experiences, in HK you can find around 10-20% of taxi drivers who speak it fairly fluently, another 40-50% push out a few somewhat coherent phrases, and and the rest barely speak anything at all. Had they all been recent immigrants to HK, that would not be the case.

  7. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by virago:
    And why is there only the crappy Toyota Comfort that hasn't changed much in design since 1995?
    Why does Hong Kong purchase the poverty spec Crown comfort taxi instead of the much nicer Tokyo spec that have 6cyl engines, that have much plusher fabric interior trim instead of the crappy vinyl seats, rubber mat floors that smell like plasticiser ( on a hot day ) and cigarettes...?

    I'd also like to see the HK Transport department issue 7 seater long wheel base LPG Hiace/Urvan Airport van taxis that are painted in the same taxi colour livery ie red ( all areas), green ( NT) or blue ( Lantau ) which will kill off the illegal pakistani van drivers that ply their illegal activity at HKIA.

    It would be great if they had a legal "airport taxi van" rank at car park number 1 right by the schroff office, for larger families and their luggage, that will put all the illegal vans out of business over night. As they wont be able to compete with a legal ( van ) taxi's $200 fare to central, when the illegal variety try to rip tourists off $450 for the same journey!
    Last edited by Editor; 30-05-2011 at 11:19 AM.

  8. #38

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skyhook:
    It would be great if they had a legal "airport taxi van" rank at car park number 1 right by the schroff office, for larger families and their luggage, that will put all the illegal vans out of business over night. As they wont be able to compete with a legal ( van ) taxi's $200 fare to central, when the illegal variety try to rip tourists off $450 for the same journey!
    Given that it would be easy to stop the 'illegal' van market at HKIA don't you suppose there must be a good reason for not stopping it? I have had a bit to do with that trade over the years, the police are there and all they do is control the parking around the airport. Now if they don't stop the vans and check licences don't you think they must have been told not to. In my view, HK has a system that allows anyone who wants to the chance to earn at least a meagre living. The tourists who pay over the odds for those vans make up a tiny percentage of the driver's income and the rest of us know taxis are cheaper.

  9. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by bryant.english:
    Why they don't have estates is what I wonder. I always find it amusing on the way to TC all the taxis with luggage sticking out of the boot and the lid strapped down..
    They do have taxi estates/wagons, I have seen Australian LPG Gas Ford Falcon wagons driving around, I saw one in Yuen Long ( near Oliva, restaurant ) a fair while back which was a 1999 model and took a photo photo of it.



  10. #40

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    Quote Originally Posted by bryant.english:
    Given that it would be easy to stop the 'illegal' van market at HKIA don't you suppose there must be a good reason for not stopping it? I have had a bit to do with that trade over the years, the police are there and all they do is control the parking around the airport. Now if they don't stop the vans and check licences don't you think they must have been told not to. In my view, HK has a system that allows anyone who wants to the chance to earn at least a meagre living. The tourists who pay over the odds for those vans make up a tiny percentage of the driver's income and the rest of us know taxis are cheaper.
    Then they can finance their 1.2 million dollar taxi licence like everybody else. You seem quite happy to take food out of the mouths of people that are doing the right thing/legally....I see the same vans at the airport all the time and at $450 per trip are making MUCH more than the poor meagre legit taxi drivers... I dare say that these illegal cash in hand van drivers aren't paying any income tax to inland revenue either....
    Last edited by Editor; 30-05-2011 at 11:08 AM.