‘Keep the change’ no more: Hong Kong taxi drivers prepare for shift to e-payments

Hong Kong cabbies are counting down to the end of the “keep the change” tradition as the industry prepares for a mandatory shift from cash-only payments to electronic settlements.In the weeks leading up to April 1, taxi drivers are racing to install e-payment tools, while service providers say 90 per cent of the cabbies have already adopted such solutions.Chau Kwok-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association, said the transition to digital payments meant cabbies would inevitably lose small “tips” earned by rounding up fares.“Those minor amounts are significant for some drivers where every dollar counts. But we have no choice but to keep pace with the times,” Chau said.The new law stipulates that taxi drivers must provide at least two e-payment options as part of the city’s effort to improve the industry’s quality and image.Cabbies must offer at least one QR code-based option – such as AlipayHK, WeChat Pay HK or BoC Pay – alongside a non-scanning alternative, including Octopus, credit cards or the Faster Payment System (FPS).