The Transport Department (TD) said today (August 28) that to encourage taxi drivers to participate in the Universal Community Testing Programme (UCTP) to be launched on September 1, for early identification of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in the community and enhancing passengers' confidence in using taxi services, the taxi trade will launch the "Anti-epidemic Name Tag for Taxi Drivers Scheme" (the Scheme).
Under the UCTP, participants will be notified of the negative result by SMS through their mobile phones. Taxi drivers who have received the SMS can collect the "Anti-epidemic Tag for Taxi Drivers" (the tag) at about 30 taxi trade organisations joining the Scheme, after verification of the information. The tag will show the name of the taxi driver, taxi driver identity plate number and the date of receipt of negative test result. Taxi drivers will display the tag at a prominent position inside the vehicle compartment. A sample of the tag is at Annex.
The collection of the tag is voluntary and free of charge. No prior booking is required. The list of the taxi trade organisations joining the Scheme with their addresses, operating dates and time will be posted at TD's website (www.td.gov.hk).
The TD appeals to members of the public transport trade sector (including taxi drivers) to actively participate in the UCTP with a view to achieving the target of early identification of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients to cut the community transmission chain and continuously adopt all feasible prevention measures to protect public health.
The TD will observe the implementation of the UCTP and the Scheme. Depending on the development of the epidemic situation, the TD will explore repeated testing for taxi drivers and enhance the Scheme (such as providing the information shown on the tag through taxi-hailing mobile applications).
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