Hong Kong’s iconic Octopus card company is expanding its reach into ride-hailing, announcing a new “Easy Ride” service that will allow users to book and pay for taxis directly through the Octopus App.
The service, unveiled Wednesday, will initially include 300 taxis from Big Boss Taxi Company’s fleet, with plans to scale up to other government-licensed taxi operators in the city. Nora Tang, head of Octopus’ transport business, said the company is in talks with the four other licensed taxi fleets to join the network.
“We hope to attract all these partners to join the Octopus Easy Ride network,” Tang said at a launch event, though no official start date for the service was confirmed.
Big Boss Taxi’s chief operating officer, Alex Chiu, said the company’s fleet will begin offering the service by the end of July. To meet demand, Big Boss is actively recruiting drivers, including from non-taxi sectors such as bus and minibus operators. “Whoever is interested in experiencing driving as a ‘Team Boss’ will always be welcome to join us,” Chiu said.
The service will offer standard taxis at rates comparable to current market prices, while premium vehicles will carry additional booking fees, Chiu noted.
The move marks a significant step for Octopus, a contactless payment system widely used for public transport and retail in Hong Kong, as it seeks to integrate more seamlessly into the city’s evolving transportation landscape.
