最近，交通问题再次出现在特区政府的议程上，行政长官岑浩辉和运输工务司司长谭伟文宣布正计划探索引入网约车服务的可行性。交通谘询委员会古庆祥表示，香港的士与无牌网约车服务之间的冲突不断加剧，而澳门在对网约车合法化的立场上有所改变。他指出，合法化网约车并不意味着取代的士行业，并呼吁政府进行本地研究，而不是简单地照搬内地模式。香港的士行业因无牌计程车的兴起受到严重影响，导致业务减少和收入不稳定，迫使的士行业调整车费，进而形成恶性循环。相比之下，澳门长久以来一直在打击无牌计程车，然而打车难的问题依然存在。
 
古庆祥在接受《澳门每日时报》采访时指出，网约车服务的发展是「势在必行」的趋势，并引用了邻近地区行政长官李家超关於其不可逆转性的言论。他进一步指出，随着澳门和香港等城市在粤港澳大湾区内开放，网约车在市场发展方面面临着相似的挑战。他促政府修订法律，以更好地融合这些新兴产业，并表示：「作为一个依赖旅游和展览的微型经济体，澳门在自由行政策下发展网约车市场面临着挑战。随着大湾区一体化的推进，澳门政府必须适应这一趋势，不能继续用过时的框架来监管新兴市场。」
 
在讨论澳门对网约车服务的需求时，古庆祥从澳门市场需求和交通状况两个角度展开讨论。他指出，尽管计程车牌照数量保持稳定，政府增设大约 500部的士，总数达到1,700到1,800辆下，但实际运营能力并未有显着提高。「需要指出的是，持有牌照的计程车并非一直处於运营状态；这个数字主要是反映牌照的状况。虽然近年来略有下降，但整体运输能力并未显着提高，」他认为澳门的士行业服务供需并不平衡。
 
古庆祥相信，合法的网约车服务通过内地的高德地图、百度地图等平台善用技术和数据分析，为跨境旅行提供更灵活的选择。「随着各种消费方式的改变，以及中央政府所放宽的自由行政策，尤其是在五一黄金周和春节期间来澳游客数量激增。」他指出，网约车平台提供的「最后一公里」服务可以帮助游客更好地满足自身需求，参与社区旅游和文化活动，而不再局限於传统的观光路线。
 
然而，古庆祥强调，在培育新产业的同时，网约车服务必须与现有的的士行业协调发展，避免发生冲突。他回顾2016年澳门市民对Uber应用程序的热烈反响，表示：「公众普遍希望澳门的网约车服务健康发展，但在实施过程中需要谨慎。尽管网约车是一大趋势，但我们不应急於求成。」他告诫，突然引入新型服务可能会导致法律和法规上出现问题，并强调政府要向社会公众表达清楚相关研究进展。「确保合法性和合规性是引入网约车服务的重要步骤，」，并补充说澳门的士行业的转型趋势显而易见，解决逐渐减少的的士永久性牌照和牌照的合理转让问题将是未来的重大挑战。
 
Council: Macau must modernize transport laws to embrace ride-hailing
The conflict between Hong Kong taxis and unlicensed ride-hailing services has intensified, while Macau has softened its stance on legalization, according to Chester Ku from the Transport Consultative Council.
He noted that legalizing ride-hailing doesn’t mean replacing taxis, urging the government to conduct local research rather than simply adopting the mainland model.
The Hong Kong taxi industry has been severely affected by the rise of unlicensed taxis, leading to reduced business and financial instability, forcing fare adjustments that create a vicious cycle.
In contrast, Macau has long cracked down on unlicensed taxis, yet the difficulty in hailing one persists. Recently, transportation issues in Macau have resurfaced on the government’s agenda, with Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai and Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam announcing plans to explore the feasibility of introducing ride-hailing services.
Speaking to the Times, Ku pointed out that the development of ride-hailing services is an “inevitable” trend, referencing remarks by neighboring Chief Executive John Lee about its irreversibility.
He further noted that as cities like Macau and Hong Kong open up within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, they face similar challenges in market development.
Ku urged the government to revise laws to better integrate such emerging industries, stating: “As a microeconomy dependent on tourism and exhibitions, Macau faces challenges in developing the ride-hailing market under the free travel policy. With Greater Bay Area integration, the Macau government must adapt to this trend and cannot continue regulating emerging markets with outdated frameworks.”
When discussing the demand for ride-hailing services in Macau, Ku highlighted urgency from two perspectives: market demand and traffic conditions.
He noted that while the number of taxi licenses remains stable – with the government increasing police-designated taxis by about 500 to a total of 1,700 to 1,800 – actual operational capacity has not significantly improved.
“It’s important to note that licensed taxis are not always in operation; this figure mainly reflects the status of licenses. Although there has been a slight decline in recent years, the overall transport capacity has not notably increased,” he acknowledged, citing the imbalance between supply and demand in Macau’s taxi services.
Ku believes that legalizing ride-hailing services will provide more flexible options for cross-regional travel through mainland China’s platforms like Amap (Gaode) and Baidu, utilizing technology and data analysis.
“With various financial initiatives underway, along with the easing of the central government’s travel permit policies – especially during the May Day Golden Week and Lunar New Year Festival – the number of travelers has surged.
The ‘last-mile’ services offered by ride-hailing platforms can help travelers better meet their needs and engage in community tourism and cultural activities, rather than being confined to traditional sightseeing routes,” he stated.
However, while fostering new industries, ride-hailing services must coordinate their development with the existing taxi industry to avoid conflicts, Ku emphasized. He recalled the public’s strong response to the Uber app in Macau in 2016, stating: “The public generally hopes for the healthy development of ride-hailing services in Macau, but caution is needed during implementation. Although ride-hailing is a major trend, we shouldn’t rush for results.”
He warned that hastily introducing new services can lead to legal and regulatory issues, stressing the importance of the government clearly communicating its research progress to the public.
“Ensuring legality and compliance are crucial steps in introducing ride-hailing services,” he pointed out, adding that the trend toward transformation in Macau’s taxi industry is evident, and addressing the gradual reduction of permanent taxi licenses and the reasonable transfer of licenses will be significant challenges for the future.