最近，交通問題再次出現在特區政府的議程上，行政長官岑浩輝和運輸工務司司長譚偉文宣布正計劃探索引入網約車服務的可行性。交通諮詢委員會古慶祥表示，香港的士與無牌網約車服務之間的衝突不斷加劇，而澳門在對網約車合法化的立場上有所改變。他指出，合法化網約車並不意味著取代的士行業，並呼籲政府進行本地研究，而不是簡單地照搬內地模式。香港的士行業因無牌計程車的興起受到嚴重影響，導致業務減少和收入不穩定，迫使的士行業調整車費，進而形成惡性循環。相比之下，澳門長久以來一直在打擊無牌計程車，然而打車難的問題依然存在。
 
古慶祥在接受《澳門每日時報》採訪時指出，網約車服務的發展是「勢在必行」的趨勢，並引用了鄰近地區行政長官李家超關於其不可逆轉性的言論。他進一步指出，隨著澳門和香港等城市在粵港澳大灣區內開放，網約車在市場發展方面面臨著相似的挑戰。他促政府修訂法律，以更好地融合這些新興產業，並表示：「作為一個依賴旅遊和展覽的微型經濟體，澳門在自由行政策下發展網約車市場面臨著挑戰。隨著大灣區一體化的推進，澳門政府必須適應這一趨勢，不能繼續用過時的框架來監管新興市場。」
 
在討論澳門對網約車服務的需求時，古慶祥從澳門市場需求和交通狀況兩個角度展開討論。他指出，儘管計程車牌照數量保持穩定，政府增設大約 500部的士，總數達到1,700到1,800輛下，但實際運營能力並未有顯著提高。「需要指出的是，持有牌照的計程車並非一直處於運營狀態；這個數字主要是反映牌照的狀況。雖然近年來略有下降，但整體運輸能力並未顯著提高，」他認為澳門的士行業服務供需並不平衡。
 
古慶祥相信，合法的網約車服務通過內地的高德地圖、百度地圖等平台善用技術和數據分析，為跨境旅行提供更靈活的選擇。「隨著各種消費方式的改變，以及中央政府所放寬的自由行政策，尤其是在五一黃金周和春節期間來澳遊客數量激增。」他指出，網約車平台提供的「最後一公里」服務可以幫助遊客更好地滿足自身需求，參與社區旅遊和文化活動，而不再局限於傳統的觀光路線。
 
然而，古慶祥強調，在培育新產業的同時，網約車服務必須與現有的的士行業協調發展，避免發生衝突。他回顧2016年澳門市民對Uber應用程序的熱烈反響，表示：「公眾普遍希望澳門的網約車服務健康發展，但在實施過程中需要謹慎。儘管網約車是一大趨勢，但我們不應急於求成。」他告誡，突然引入新型服務可能會導致法律和法規上出現問題，並強調政府要向社會公眾表達清楚相關研究進展。「確保合法性和合規性是引入網約車服務的重要步驟，」，並補充說澳門的士行業的轉型趨勢顯而易見，解決逐漸減少的的士永久性牌照和牌照的合理轉讓問題將是未來的重大挑戰。
 
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.