Hong Kong’s struggle for journey-hailing supremacy is ready to get even warmer, with legislator Paul Tse Wai-Chun rolling out a brand new app he hopes can revolutionize the metropolis’s taxi enterprise, and every other app also coming into the fray.
Tse, 60, greatly surprised the taxi region last month when he announced that Easy Planet, the era firm that he chairs, would launch SuperCab, a new app that debuts on Tuesday.
SuperCab, which has approximately 2 hundred cabbies signed up, will face off towards as a minimum three existing taxi apps and a fourth to be released this month, called eTaxi.
Easy Planet is owned via the fintech start-up Benefit Vantage Limited (BVL), that is led via former financial secretary John Tsang Chun-wah. BVL turned into based in 2014 with the aid of Harry Cheung Lup-solar, who once served as the Asia-Pacific dealing with a director of Kaspersky Lab, a Moscow-based multinational cybersecurity and antivirus provider.
Faced with Uber challenge, Hong Kong taxis look to reinforce photograph and release an app
Tse, recognized for the Superman outfit he as soon as wore to promote his legal exercise, stated the new mission turned into inspired through his growing preference to transform the town’s taxi quarter.
He said the enterprise has been battered by way of bad popularity over the misconduct of cabbies, such as impolite behavior, overcharging, taking oblique routes and cherry-choosing or refusing fares.
This isn’t always the primary time I’ve embarked on something revolutionary. I even have this wild facet [pushing me] to transform the taxi quarter. I wish to salvage its broken recognition and bring about a marked exchange within the service and mentality,” Tse said.
He stated the investment in SuperCab changed into a seven-discern sum.
“When I become a legislator for the tourism area, I often got here across a whole lot of lawsuits over the bad behavior of cabbies. But for a global metropolis like Hong Kong, how can it undergo to have such bad taxi provider? It will turn off investors and tourists,” he stated.
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Paul Tse, a legislator and chairman of Easy Planet, indicates off the new SuperCap taxi-hailing app remaining week. Photo: Nora TamPaul Tse, a legislator and chairman of Easy Planet, suggests of the brand new SuperCap taxi-hailing app closing week. Photo: Nora Tam
Paul Tse, a legislator and chairman of Easy Planet, suggests of the new SuperCap taxi-hailing app last week. Photo: Nora Tam
Hong Kong’s conflict for experience-hailing supremacy is set to get even warmer, with legislator Paul Tse Wai-Chun rolling out a new app he hopes can revolutionize the town’s taxi enterprise, and every other app also entering the fray.
Tse, 60, greatly surprised the taxi area remaining month when he announced that Easy Planet, the technology firm that he chairs, could launch SuperCab, a new app that debuts on Tuesday.
SuperCab, which has approximately 200 cabbies signed up, will face off against at the least 3 present taxi apps and a fourth to be launched this month, called eTaxi.
Easy Planet is owned with the aid of the fintech start-up Benefit Vantage Limited (BVL), which is led by way of former monetary secretary John Tsang Chun-wah. BVL turned into based in 2014 by way of Harry Cheung Lup-solar, who once served as the Asia-Pacific handling director of Kaspersky Lab, a Moscow-primarily based multinational cybersecurity and antivirus company.
Faced with Uber mission, Hong Kong taxis appearance to enhance photograph and release the app
Tse, acknowledged for the Superman outfit he as soon as wore to promote his prison exercise, stated the new mission became inspired with the aid of his growing preference to transform the town’s taxi sector.
He stated the industry has been battered with the aid of terrible popularity over the misconduct of cabbies, including impolite behavior, overcharging, taking indirect routes and cherry-selecting or refusing fares.
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“This is not the first time I’ve launched into something progressive. I actually have this wild aspect [pushing me] to transform the taxi zone. I desire to salvage its broken reputation and result in a marked alternate in the carrier and mentality,” Tse stated.
He stated the funding in SuperCab was a seven-parent sum.
“When I turned into a legislator for the tourism sector, I often got here throughout a number of court cases over the terrible behavior of cabbies. But for a global metropolis like Hong Kong, how can it undergo to have such horrific taxi service? It will turn off buyers and travelers,” he stated.
Tse said he felt a growing crisis inside the taxi enterprise when cabbies began to paintings for unlawful trip-hailing structures – consisting of Uber – even at the hazard of being prosecuted. He said passengers had been interested in Uber despite flimsy coverage safety.
“The death knells are ringing for the taxi enterprise. It is at the brink of being phased out if nothing is executed to rescue it,” he said.
Tse said SuperCab, which costs passengers an agreed fare as opposed to following a meter, had carefully decided on vehicles, all less than 5 years vintage, so rides might be secure.
Drivers would learn in manners, language, and technical understanding to ensure fine offerings, he stated.
He stated he was hoping someday Hong Kong taxi drivers may be as expert as the ones of Japan.
SuperCab will release on Hong Kong Island and regularly expand to the relaxation of the city.
The new trip-hailing app comes as the Hong Kong Taxi Council, with an alliance of 17 taxi businesses, is gearing up for a battle against Uber with its very own app, eTaxi, which is ready to launch this month.
Hung Wing-tat, the taxi council chairman, once claimed eTaxi may want to surpass Uber and stated that greater than 3,000 cabbies had signed up for the platform.
The new app allows electronic bills, inclusive of by way of Octopus card. More than HK$6 million (US$764,397) have been raised for the eTaxi app, consistent with insider sources.
Unlike Uber, which fees drivers greater than 20 in step with cent fee, Hung stated, eTaxi might now not price something from cabbies. It additionally gives incentives to draw drivers, along with cash rewards and gas coupons.
