Uber warns driver quota threatens earnings, reliability

More than 30,000 people in Hong Kong earned money by driving using the Uber app.

A proposed driver quota would reduce ridesharing reliability and increase costs in Hong Kong, simultaneously curbing local earning opportunities, Uber's Global Head of Public Policy, Andrew Byrne, said.

Citing a recent survey by the Public Transport Think Tank of Hong Kong, Byrne shared that more than 30,000 people in Hong Kong earned money by driving using the Uber app in the past 12 months.

Key survey findings include 64% of respondents oppose quotas on ridesharing vehicles or drivers, whilst 85% support flexible work arrangements for drivers.

Uber believes ridesharing and taxis can work better together through a thoughtfully regulated ridesharing sector that can complement the existing taxi system.

“We hope the government takes public sentiment seriously and considers a regulatory framework that prioritises safety, meets the needs of the community, and enables ridesharing and taxis to grow side by side in a connected, global city,” said Byrne.