Welcoming Speech [English
Translation]
Mr. Godfrey Tsang, General Manager, Sales
Division, Crown Motors Limited, Hong Kong
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Mrs. Miriam Lau, Chairman of the Legco Panel
on Transport, Mr. Robert Footman, Commissioner
for Transport, Mr. Jeffrey Lam, Chairman of
the Ad hoc Quality Taxi Services Steering
Committee, distinguished guests, ladies and
gentlemen,
I am most honoured to be invited by the Ad
hoc Quality Taxi Services Steering Committee
to attend this Forum on behalf of Crown Motors.
And I welcome this Quality Taxi Services Forum
held in Hong Kong.
This Forum is organized by the Ad hoc Quality
Taxi Services Steering Committee and co-ordinated
by the Transport Department. It aims to encouraging
meaningful exchange of views, new suggestions
and new ideas not only having the taxi trade
in Hong Kong, but also those in our neighbouring
cities. This is contributory to the improvement
and development of Hong Kong's taxi services.
Crown Motors introduced Toyota taxis and
public light buses into Hong Kong in the 1970s.
In the last three decades, with solid support
from the various actors, the sale figures
of Crown taxis and mini-buses have been very
good in Hong Kong.
As the agent of Toyota taxi vehicles, Crown
Motors has taken up its social responsibility
to raise the quality of taxi and light bus
services. Recently, environmental issues,
such as vehicle emissions, have been at the
forefront of Hong Kong people's concerns.
Crown Motors has given its full support to
the Hong Kong government's environmental initiatives.
Over two years ago, we introduced the Toyota
LPG taxis. During the initial trial period,
we received useful feedback about the LPG
taxis from taxi and light bus associations,
including Taxi Dealers and Owners Association
Ltd. These comments were reflected to the
manufacturer, who was able to solve the initial
problems subsequently.
To provide better taxi services to passengers
with visual impalement, Transport Department
has introduced a new initiative to install
Braille and tactile registration number plates
on the back of taxis. In support of this,
starting from Aug. last year, Crown Motors
installed Braille and tactile registration
number plates on all new Toyota taxis free
of charge.
In fact, to improve taxi service, different
parties including taxi distributors, owners
and drivers, financial institutions and various
Government departments need to work closely
together in order to provide a stable environment
in which the interests of all parties concerned
would be protected.
There is a strong linkage between the taxi
trade and the Hong Kong economy. Taxi manufacturers,
agents distributors, owners and drivers, as
well as bankers, oil companies, repairing
and spare parts centres and audio system suppliers
are all involved in this industry. It provides
employment for about 100,000 people in Hong
Kong. Therefore, as the agent of Toyota taxis,
Crown Motors pledges our full support to policies
aiming at improving taxi services.
For instance, we actively take part in forum,
in which a wide range of topics will be discussed,
including taxi booking services, environmental
issues, and application of information technology
to improve taxi services. Apart from the technological
aspects, we will also discuss macro-economic
issues, such as training of human resources.
The Quality Taxi Services Forum will lay
a solid foundation for the future development
of the taxi industry. Crown Motors will continue
to work closely with the Transport Department
and the taxi trade to help improve the quality
of taxi services in Hong Kong.
Finally, I hope this Forum will achieve
great success.
Thank you.
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