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Press
Releases - 1997 (July - December)
Fleet
Managers Sought for LPG Taxi Pilot Scheme
The Government
is to invite experienced taxi operators to act as fleet managers
to manage and operate liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) taxis
during a pilot scheme to be launched next month (November).
The purpose
of the pilot scheme is to collect operational data of LPG
taxis under local conditions and to demonstrate their suitability
for local commercial use.
Apart
from managing and operating the LPG taxis, the fleet managers
will collect and keep the relevant data required and report
regularly to a committee.
Comprising
of representatives of relevant government departments, taxi
trade, vehicle suppliers and relevant academics, the committee
will monitor and steer the pilot scheme as well as consider
the results and findings.
If the
trial is successful, the Government will work out a scheme
to introduce LPG taxis, the Assistant Director of Environmental
Protection, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said.
"The experience
gained from the trial can also help introduce other LPG vehicles,"
said Mr Tse.
"Switching
all the diesel taxis to LPG can reduce up to 30 per cent of
the respirable suspended particulates emitted from motor vehicles.
"Reducing
the number of diesel vehicles is essential to solving our
serious air pollution caused by diesel vehicle emission."
He said
LPG vehicles were found to be much cleaner than diesel vehicles
in terms of air pollution, and had been in use in many other
countries for more than 30 years. Mr Tse stressed that LPG
vehicles had an impeccable safety record.
"More
than four million LPG vehicles are now being used in about
30 countries. Among them, Japan and the Netherlands have more
than 30 years of experience in using LPG vehicles.
"In Japan,
over 97 per cent of their taxis are running on LPG. Neighbouring
places such as Korea, Taiwan and Australia are also using
LPG vehicles," he said.
Mr Tse
said an inter-departmental working group set up in September
last year to look into the feasibility of introducing gas
vehicles had found LPG a practical clean alternative to diesel
and equally safe and technically feasible in Hong Kong.
The pilot
scheme is needed to collect information on costs and maintenance
of LPG taxi as well as to gain local operational experience
to address the concerns by the traders, he said.
"Initially
30 LPG vehicles comprising new and used vehicles will be operated
as urban taxis in the same manner as ordinary commercial urban
taxis," he said.
"To ensure
that these LPG taxis will be operated in the same mode as
normal commercial taxis, we are inviting experienced taxi
operators to act as fleet managers for the trial taxis," he
said.
Starting
from tomorrow (Wednesday), Taxi operators wishing to manage
and operate the trial LPG taxis can obtain the designated
application forms at the reception counter of the Transport
Department Headquarters, 41st floor, Immigration Tower, 7
Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
The completed
forms should be returned with required documents to the Transport
Department Tender Box at the Reception Centre of 41st floor,
Immigration Tower at or before noon on November 10, 1997.
End/Tuesday,
October 28, 1997
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