The Transport Bureau (DSAT) said yesterday that common taxis run by seven of the 10 companies which were each granted an eight-year licences in March to operate taxis have come into service.
The bureau announced this in a statement on its WeChat account yesterday.
The statement said that the remaining three companies are now “intensively” preparing for their upcoming operation.
Common taxis – as opposed to special radio taxis – are colloquially known as “black taxis” (“hak dik” in Cantonese).
Yesterday’s statement said that Macau now has nearly 1,650 taxis in operation, including 300 special radio taxis.
According to the DSAT website, at the end of the last quarter, Macau had a total of 1,520 taxis, comprising 1,220 black taxis and 300 special radio taxis.
Each of the 10 eight-year company licences are allowed to operate up to 50 common taxis, i.e., up to 500 new taxis in total to hit the roads.
The bureau launched a public tender for the 10 company licences in October last year, which drew 40 bids, of which only 21 were accepted. The bureau chose the 10 winners in March this year.
This undated handout photo released by the Transport Bureau (DSAT) yesterday shows two new black taxis.
