In response to media enquiries on actions to combat the use of private cars or light goods vehicles (LGVs) for illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward, a spokesman for the Transport Department (TD) today (May 15) gave the following reply:
The Government has been paying close attention to the use of private cars or LGVs for illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward (commonly known as "pak pai" service) and will tackle such offences by taking stringent enforcement actions. The TD has been in close liaison with the Police and will refer suspected cases to the Police for follow-up actions.
Subsections (3), (5) and (10)(a) of section 52 and Schedule 4 of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap 374) stipulate that an offender who uses a private car or LGV for the illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward, or who solicits or attempts to solicit any person to travel in such vehicles, is liable to a fine of $5,000 and three months' imprisonment on the first conviction. The licence of the subject vehicle may also be suspended for three months. On the second or subsequent conviction, the person is liable to a fine of $10,000 and six months' imprisonment. For a subsequent offence in respect of the same motor vehicle, the licence of that vehicle may be suspended for six months.
As regards a recent case in which a driver provided carriage service through the "Uber" mobile application and was fined $3,000 by the court for illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward, the TD has received the notification from the Police about the conviction and already delivered a notice of intention to suspend the licence of the motor vehicle to the registered owner pursuant to section 90 of the Road Traffic Ordinance.
The TD will proceed to arrange suspension of the vehicle licence in accordance with the relevant legislative requirements and direct the registered owner to deliver the motor vehicle into the custody of the department until the expiry of the suspension period.
The TD will continue to support the Police for their enforcement actions in combating illegal carriage of passengers. From 2015 to the first quarter of 2018, a total of 41 vehicles have been impounded by the TD with the vehicle licences suspended due to convictions for the offence of illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward.
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