Some Hong Kong taxi drivers unprepared as new e-payments rule takes effect

Some Hong Kong taxi drivers have yet to install e-payment options even after the city’s mandatory electronic payment choices for taxis came into effect, highlighting a digital divide challenge facing cabbies, the South China Morning Post has observed.Under the Transport Department rule that came into effect on Wednesday, all drivers must offer passengers at least a QR code option and an alternative e-payment method.The initiative aimed to elevate the quality of taxi services by leveraging technology to cater to different passenger needs, a department spokesman said.At Times Square in the morning, an elderly driver surnamed Fong had yet to provide e-payment options. When asked if he would accept anything other than local cash, Fong only offered to take Chinese yuan.When asked about the digital options, he said: “Not yet, we have not installed those,” and apologised.In contrast, former Citybus driver Cheung Lik-chuen, 71, successfully processed an Octopus card transaction via a mobile phone application in two minutes and had multiple payment methods, although no credit card terminal.