Introduction
The purpose of introducing the pre-service courses is to enhance the safety and quality of public transport services through raising new taxi, public light bus and public bus drivers' awareness of driving safety and good driving attitude and equipping them with basic knowledge of passenger service and skills in customer service etc.
Target Participants of the Pre-service Courses
To further enhance the safety and quality of public transport services, the pre-service course requirement stipulated under the Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Regulations (Cap. 374B) has been extended to cover applicants for taxi and public bus full driving licence starting from 1 October 2020. In addition to passing the relevant driving test, all applicants for a taxi, public light bus or public bus full driving licence shall also attend and complete the relevant pre-service course within one year preceding the date of application and obtain the course certificate of the course for the issue of the relevant full driving licence.
(Note: The requirement of attendance and completion of the pre-service courses for taxi and public bus drivers is not applicable to persons who have applied for the relevant driving test before 1 October 2020).
Implementation Dates of the Pre-service Courses
Public Light Bus Drivers: 1 June 2015
Taxi and Public Bus Drivers: 1 October 2020
Introduction to the Pre-service Courses
The pre-service courses for taxi, public light bus and public bus drivers are 16-hour courses which adopt a modular structure. A participant may complete each course in two full-days or four half-days but shall complete the whole course in four months. Each course includes two parts:
| (1) | the foundation module (eight hours), which covers basic driver knowledge and skills common to all three types of commercial vehicles:
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| (2) | the mode-specific module (eight hours), which is specifically designed for each of the three types of commercial vehicles:
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Participants who have attended and completed a pre-service course and passed its assessment(s) will obtain a course certificate issued by a pre-service training school. Participants who have attended and completed a pre-service course for a vehicle class on or after 1 October 2020 and have obtained the course certificate of the course will be exempted from attending the foundation module of other vehicle classes.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Q1 | Is there any requirement for applying for the pre-service courses? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A1 | An applicant for the pre-service courses shall be :
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| Q2 | I have applied for the taxi written test or private / public bus driving test before 1 October 2020. Do I have to complete the relevant pre-service course for the issue of taxi (code 6) or public bus (code 10) full driving licence? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A2 | No. If you have applied for the taxi written test or private / public bus driving test before 1 October 2020, you may apply for a taxi (code 6) or public bus (code 10) full driving licence after seven days (but not exceeding three years) from the date you passed the written test / driving test. However, if you fail to pass the written test / driving test and the date you re-apply for the written test / driving test falls on or after 1 October 2020, you will have to complete the relevant pre-service course for the issue of taxi (code 6) or public bus (code 10) full driving licence. |
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| Q3 | How can a participant of the pre-service courses obtain a course certificate? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A3 | Under the new course arrangement, a participant has to complete a written assessment at the end of each module (i.e. the foundation module and the mode-specific module). A participant shall attend and complete the foundation module (unless exempted) and mode-specific module of the course, and pass the assessments of the foundation module (if applicable) and mode-specific module with satisfactory performance during the course (including paying attention during the course and participating actively during in-class and group discussions) in order to obtain a course certificate issued by the pre-service training school concerned. A participant who is late or absent for more than 15 minutes will be considered as not having completed the course. The assessment will take place at the last 30 minutes of each module (i.e. the foundation module and mode-specific module). A participant has to answer 25 multiple-choice questions in each assessment. The passing mark is 15 correct answers (i.e. 60%). A participant shall attend and complete a module of the course in order to participate in the assessment of that module. If a participant fails to pass the assessment of a module, he / she will be given two chances to re-take the assessment for free. If a participant fails to pass the assessment after two re-takes, or is unable to retake the assessment within four months counting from the first session of the course, he / she will have to attend that module at the school concerned again. Note: Participants who have attended and completed a pre-service course for a vehicle class on or after 1 October 2020 and have obtained the course certificate of the course will be exempted from attending the foundation module of other vehicle classes. |
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| Q4 | I have completed the pre-service course for Public Light Bus drivers before 1 October 2020. Will I be exempted from attending the foundation module if I attend the pre-service course for taxi or public bus drivers in future? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A4 | No. Since the content, structure and assessment mechanism etc. of the pre-service courses have all been changed, you have to attend the foundation module when you attend a pre-service course for the first time since 1 October 2020. After you have completed the pre-service course and have obtained the course certificate, you will be exempted from attending the foundation module of other vehicle classes. |
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| Q5 | How are the pre-service courses conducted? Can I only take the written assessments without course attendance? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A5 : | No. An instructor of the pre-service courses will deliver knowledge and skills of the course to participants through classroom learning. Interactive learning and discussions are encouraged among participants and they will form part of the assessment criteria. It is required under the law that full driving licence applicants to which the pre-service course requirement applies are required to attend and complete a pre-service course for the issue of the relevant full driving licence. Hence, participants cannot only take the written assessments without course attendance. |
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| Q6 | Is there a validity period for a course certificate? When should I apply for the pre-service courses? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A6 | A course certificate is valid for one year, counting from the date of completion of the course as specified in the certificate. Persons to which the pre-service course requirement applies may attend a pre-service course before or after passing the relevant driving test. If they have completed the course before passing the relevant driving test, they have to pass the relevant driving test within the one-year validity period of the course certificate for the issue of the relevant full driving licence. Otherwise, they have to attend and complete the pre-service course again. |
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| Q7 | How much does a pre-service course cost? Is there any subsidy for the pre-service courses? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A7 | The fee for a whole pre-service course is capped at $1,500 and the fee for the foundation / mode-specific module is capped at $750. The pre-service courses are provided by pre-service training schools designated by the Commissioner for Transport. Please refer to Q&A 12 of this page for details of the pre-service training schools. The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) has arranged the provision of the pre-service courses under its Skills Upgrading Courses. Eligible applicants may apply for course fee subsidy. For details, please visit the website of ERB (https://www.erb.org/home/erb/en/). |
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| Q8 | If I apply for the private / public bus driving test on or after 1 October 2020, what driving licences will I be issued with after passing the test? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A8 | After passing the test, you must present a course certificate of the pre-service course for public bus drivers and a course certificate of the pre-service course for public light bus drivers issued by a pre-service training school designated by the Commissioner for Transport (both with validity period of one year, counting from the date of completion of the course as specified in the certificate) for the issue of the public bus (code 10) and public light bus (code 5) full driving licence respectively. Otherwise, you will be issued with the private bus (code 9) and private light bus (code 4) full driving licences only. After issue of the private bus (code 9) and private light bus (code 4) full driving licences and completion of the relevant pre-service course, you can still apply for the relevant full driving licence within the one-year validity period of the course certificate. |
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| Q9 | I am a holder of taxi (code 6) / public light bus (code 5) / public bus (code 10) full driving licence but not an incumbent taxi / public light bus / public bus driver. Will I need to attend and complete a pre-service course if I work as a taxi / public light bus / public bus driver in future? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A9 | The pre-service courses are introduced by the Transport Department to provide training to applicants for taxi, public light bus and public bus full driving licence in order to equip them with basic knowledge and skills for provision of services before they work as taxi, public light bus or public bus drivers, with a view to improving the safety and service quality of public transport. Holders of those full driving licences are not required by law to attend a pre-service course. They can decide themselves whether to attend the course on a need basis. |
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| Q10 | I have completed a pre-service course for a vehicle class and have obtained the course certificate. Do I have to attend a pre-service course for other vehicle classes at the same pre-service training school for the exemption from attending the foundation module? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A10 | No. Even if you choose to attend the pre-service course for other vehicle classes at a different pre-service training school, you can still be exempted from attending the foundation module of other vehicle classes. However, you have to present the course certificate during enrolment to prove that you have completed a pre-service course for a vehicle class on or after 1 October 2020. |
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| Q11 | Do I have to apply to the Transport Department for the exemption from attending the foundation module? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A11 | No. When you are enrolling in a pre-service course, you can be granted an exemption from attending the foundation module of the course if you can present a course certificate to prove that you have completed a pre-service course for a vehicle class on or after 1 October 2020. You do not have to apply to the Transport Department before enrolment. After you have completed the course, the pre-service training school will submit your result and attendance record to the Transport Department and, after the Transport Department has verified that you are eligible for the exemption from attending the foundation module, issue a course certificate of the course to you. |
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| Q12 | Where can I enroll in the pre-service courses? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A12 |
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| Note: The designation of Royal School of Motoring and Maritime Training Limited (Address: Unit 15A, 15th Floor, Hody Commercial Building, 6-6A Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon) by the Commissioner for Transport as a pre-service training school for public light bus, public bus and taxi drivers has been expired on 14 June 2023. |
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| Q13 | When can I apply for the relevant driving licence after completion of a pre-service course? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A13 | After completion of a pre-service course, the school needs time to submit your result and attendance record to the Transport Department for processing. Therefore, you may apply for the relevant driving licence at least five working days after the school has issued the course certificate to you. Please bring along the course certificate for the application. For details of the timing, please consult the school that you attended the pre-service course. |
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