Given the strong recovery of the tourist industry, the arrival of visitors has been increasing and, consequently, the demand for transport has also been growing. However, there continues to be a problem with access to taxis in Macau. As of July 2023, there are a total of 1,593 taxis, including 1,293 ordinary and 300 radio taxis; 20 percent less than the more than 1,900 that circulated before the pandemic. Meanwhile, some licenses will expire during this year; including more than 400 taxis licensed for eight years. Among them, around 100 licenses are expected to expire in the near future; knowing that this reduction, already foreseen, will seriously increase the pressure on access to transport and traffic in Macau.
To meet demand from tourists as well as residents, the Administration has issued 500 additional taxi licenses, lasting eight years, to compensate for the current shortage. This measure can, to a certain extent, alleviate the problem and increase employment opportunities. This circumstance is actually beneficial for the stability of the social economy and the livelihood of residents. However, the additional 500 licenses are still in the processing phase, so they cannot be immediately put into use in order to serve the public and tourists.
This year, the old taxi licenses will be withdrawn one by one, and the additional 500 taxis will not be able to be in service in time to fill all these deficiencies. This situation not only makes access to taxis difficult for residents, but also exposes the problem of insufficient transport in Macau’s tourist areas. Although it is true that the issuance of the 500 licenses aims to alleviate the shortage of supply, solving needs detected both in tourist areas, in old or residential neighborhoods, one should not ignore the problem of the shortage of taxis or the experience of deterioration of the transport system in city.
Therefore, I suggest that the Administration consider postponing the period in which some taxi licenses expire, in order to compensate for the reduction in capacity during this transition period. On the other hand, this could also compensate for the weak business volume that the sector has faced during the pandemic, simultaneously reducing the wave of unemployment that the end of furloughs implies.
Alternatively, more bus services could be provided, at the most needed tourist hotspots. Some of them could even travel, specifically, between tourist attractions, and more frequently. Travel time for tourists would be reduced, and the user experience, whether visitor or resident, could be improved. Only by comprehensively analyzing transport capacity will authorities be able to cope with growing demand, and promote the city’s overall development, increasing Macau’s competitiveness and economic strength relative to neighboring regions.
Macau Public Service Workers Association