(Combating New Crown Pneumonia) The double plight of Hong Kong's taxi industry in the epidemic
China News Agency, Hong Kong, March 11th: The double plight of Hong Kong's taxi industry in the epidemic: business plunges
China News Agency reporter Han Xingtong
In total, 2020 is the eleventh year for Hong Kong taxi driver Lin Jiu to enter the business. In the first year when he encountered the financial tsunami, his most intuitive feeling was "no traffic jam at the Hung Hom Tunnel", and then he experienced the illegal "occupation in the middle" in 2014 and last year's amendments. However, the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic is the most deadly, and he described it as "unprecedented".
Beginning in June 2019, a storm of amendments will hit the tourism industry. The decline in taxi business is also a chain reaction. "The business volume seems to be a roller coaster. The average difference is 40%, and the worst drop is 70%, but sometimes it is better," said Lin Jiu, because driving around the city can selectively avoid the demonstration site.
However, the epidemic situation is completely different. "It is unexpected that there is no one." Hong Kong people have strengthened their awareness of epidemic prevention and are afraid to go out of the street. In addition, the SAR government has introduced relevant epidemic prevention measures, such as school suspensions and civil servants working from home. Lin Jiu consciously extended his working hours half a year ago, hoping to recover the daily losses. "But now I am afraid you will not be able to recover for 24 hours. Now you are not willing to do more, you can do it, but no one is willing. Take a taxi. "
The epidemic is raging. As a front-line practitioner, taxi drivers contact different passengers every day. Many suspected infected people also choose to take taxis to the hospital for treatment. With regard to occupational risks, Lin Jiu knew very well, "We are at high risk. People. Sometimes when I met some elderly people who were coughing and gasping, I was embarrassed to say that he could only wear a mask by himself and rubbing alcohol at his own expense. "In desperation, he took the initiative to ask his wife to bring her three-year-old daughter Back to grandma's house, "Self-isolation" in disguise, "I feel so sorry for her, she said that she missed me all the time."
Adding to the problem is the shortage of epidemic prevention supplies. A few weeks ago, Hong Kong was "hard to find." Masks were sold out or expensive. Lin Jiu saw a white mask from a connoisseur who was gray and fluffed. After inquiring, he knew that it had been reused. Tian, "He said that he earns two hundred yuan a day. Where can I buy masks after dinner?" Lin Jiu's feelings of sadness forced him to death.
Talking about the current status of the taxi industry, the secretary general of the Hong Kong Taxi Driver Practitioners Association (General) Huang Dahai first did an arithmetic question: "The cost of each taxi per day includes car rental, fuel costs, and a meal at noon for the driver. That adds up to almost HK $ 600. Therefore, 50 taxis per taxi per day can be used to recover the capital. 18,000 taxis in Hong Kong need to carry close to one million passengers a day. Personally, that's a few million people. "But the reality is that the driver's daily income is as low as one or two hundred Hong Kong dollars, and the business has plummeted by 50% to 60%.
There have been epidemics after social events in the past, and he described "causes of misfortunes not to be solved alone, but one wave after another". The drivers in the industry are under great pressure. The market is poor. Some car dealers and owners have reduced their rents by about a quarter, and even rented out all day for some days, but Huang Dahai thinks that it will not help the driver's income much.
The "hand stop" is under pressure from life, and even if the epidemic is severe, taxi drivers still have to take risks to start work. The industry rescued itself. Huang Dahai revealed that three batches of masks, alcohol hand rub and alcohol spray were distributed to the driver, hoping to create a relatively safe environment for the driver, and also tried to restore passenger confidence.
Medical professionals are also working to ensure the safety of taxi drivers in confined spaces. The chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Medical Staff General Union and the psychiatric consultant doctor of the United Hospital revealed to reporters that a friend of related professional has designed a transparent baffle that can be installed between the driver and passengers in the back seat to block the droplets. The taxi industry communicated and discussed the feasibility.
Pan Peiyi believes that, on the one hand, taxi drivers are susceptible to infection; on the other hand, if they are infected, the transmission range is large and the consequences are serious. However, because this occupation is in contact with many passengers, the space is small, it is necessary to touch the banknotes with his hands, and it is not convenient to go to the bathroom to clean his hands. Therefore, he recommends that drivers frequently rub their hands with alcohol and wear masks. (Finish)