According to the Disability Discrimination Ordinance, it is unlawful to discriminate against or harass persons with a disability in the provision of services including taxi services.

To help promote a good relationship between taxi drivers and passengers with a disability, the Equal Opportunities Commission issues this Guideline to help eliminate unlawful discriminatory acts occurring in the course of the provision of taxi services. This Guideline is a reference which lists out points that need to be observed by taxi drivers and passengers with a disability.

Points to be noted by taxi drivers :

1. When a person with a disability hails a taxi, the driver should stop the taxi as close to the person as traffic conditions permit in order to facilitate the person with a disability boarding the taxi.
2. In the event that a passenger is either mobility-impaired or visual-impaired, the driver should allow the passenger to alight as close as possible to the passenger's specified destination of choice as traffic conditions permit.
3. If a mobility-impaired passenger has difficulty in boarding and / or alighting the taxi independently, the driver should offer assistance to the passenger and, if necessary, help the passenger to place properly in the taxi any wheelchair or other auxiliary aid(s). A driver who has difficulty in providing such assistance to a passenger should clearly explain his difficulty to the passenger.
4. To facilitate the boarding of and / or the alighting of taxis by persons with a disability at restricted zones, the Transport Department and the Hong Kong Council of Social Service have issued a "Certificate for Picking Up or Setting Down of Disabled Taxi Passengers in Restricted Zones" for use by persons with a disability. Drivers may ask passengers with a disability to produce such certificates if necessary.
5. Drivers should take care that their conduct (verbal or otherwise) does not offend, upset or humiliate a passenger on the ground of that passenger's disability or on the ground of the disability of a person accompanying that passenger.
6. Drivers should not interfere with other drivers providing taxi services to persons with a disability.
7. Some passengers with a disability may have difficulty in reading the fare as indicated on the fare-meter. Drivers should inform such passengers clearly of the fare upon arrival at their destination.

Points to be noted by passengers with a disability:

1. When a passenger with a disability is unable to board or alight a taxi independently, in the absence of other persons who can offer assistance that passenger should make his or her need for assistance clearly known to the driver
2. In the event that the driver is unable to provide assistance to a passenger with a disability to board and / or to alight the taxi, the passenger with a disability should ask the driver for the reason(s) for the driver's inability to assist.
3. When a passenger with a disability is accompanied by another person, that person should give as much assistance as possible to the passenger with a disability to help him or her board or alight the taxi and to place any wheelchair or other auxiliary aid(s) in the taxi.
4. Passengers with a disability should obtain a "Certificate for Picking Up or Setting Down of Disabled Taxi Passengers in Restricted Zones" from the relevant rehabilitation organisations or nursing homes and carry it with them at all times for presentation to taxi drivers upon request if they wish to board or alight taxis in restricted zones.
5. Passengers should avoid boarding or alighting taxis at expressways or in 24-hour restricted zones.

If you have any query about the Disability Discrimination Ordinance,please call Equal Opportunities Commission (Tel: 2511-8211)

Equal Opportunities Commission