Taxi drivers encouraged to embrace e-payments with Hong Kong start-up Dash system
A Hong Kong start-up has sought to overcome taxi drivers’ long-standing reluctance to embrace digital payments by launching an e-payment system offering various fare settlement options alongside a ride-hailing app.Jason Ma Siu-cheong, 37, founded the start-up Dash in 2021. It is the latest company aiming to persuade Hong Kong’s taxi drivers to abandon their entrenched cash-only habits and catch up with counterparts in other places, such as mainland China.Pressure is increasing on the city’s cabbies to comply with new government regulations requiring taxis to provide two e-payment options, including one QR e-wallet, for passengers by April next year.The Dash system is the first of its kind in Hong Kong.“Many people think taxi drivers are unwilling to go digital, but that is a misconception. The truth is, a lot of them are very willing to provide these services, but they haven’t had a platform to provide the necessary support. They get panicked when a payment issue happens, and there’s no one to call for immediate help,” Ma said.Dash’s e-payment system involves installing a device in a taxi connected to its meter, offering payment options such as Visa, Mastercard, Global Payments, Octopus, Apple Pay, Google Pay, UnionPay, WeChat Pay and AlipayHK.
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