Doris Leung

Updated March 2013

Doris Leung was working as a broadcast journalist in her native Hong Kong when her mother, suffering from brain cancer, began to experience mobility problems. By mid-2007, Doris’ mother was wheelchair bound. ‘As the main caregiver, I experienced the frustration of trying to take her wheelchair to frequent doctor visits.’ When she could not drive her mother, the only option was a taxi, but while some wheelchair-accessible cabs did exist, many were illegally operated without insurance.

Doris talked to a group of friends working with Social Ventures Hong Kong, an organisation that invests in social enterprise. ‘They told me they were looking at improving transportation for wheelchair users and I offered to do the research.’ Before Doris knew it, she was leaving her job and setting up Diamond Cab.

With funds from Social Ventures – where Doris is now an executive director – and investment of her own, Doris imported five Welcab taxi vans from Japan. Each costs US$51,500, a large outlay for a small social enterprise, and can transport two wheelchairs. Licenses too are expensive, currently around US$940,000. ‘The price has risen 15% since last year. The government stopped issuing licences so supply is limited.’

Go the extra mile

Despite the prohibitive investment, it is clearly a promising niche. Since the first ride in February 2011, Diamond Cab has totted up 37,000 bookings; 97% come from wheelchair users. ‘The remaining 3% are people with lots of luggage – Hong Kong taxis are pretty small!’

2013 has brought Diamond Cab’s first regular advertiser, a company selling products for the elderly. Doris is making it her mission to spread awareness of the needs of Hong Kong’s disabled and aged populations by hosting a series of events: ‘The Story of Diamond Cab – What I can do for Hong Kong,’ asked schoolchildren to submit their ideas to help Hong Kong’s aging population. Among the prizes were another of Doris’s brainwaves: miniature Diamond cabs! ‘We also found sponsors to support a tour taking deprived wheelchair users to visit local theme parks.’ December will see the second edition of an old-style sedan-chair race carrying wheelchair users.

In August 2013, a sixth Diamond Cab joins the fleet, funded by a ‘social impact’ investor who has bought a licence and locked in a five-year deal to rent the cab to Diamond. The other licences are rented from a major industry player. ‘He has understood that extending his offer helps the taxi industry to upgrade its service.’ Diamond Cab’s core revenue comes from renting the licensed cab to drivers on two shifts, day and night.

Freedom to move

Doris is confident that Hong Kong’s aging population and the opening of a new cruise ship terminal – many elderly and wheelchair-bound people enjoy cruises – are likely to bring more growth to the company. She named it after her mother’s favourite gemstone. ‘My father and mother always gave me a lot of freedom to try out my ideas.’ Now Doris intends to help her mother – and all the city’s wheelchair users – to enjoy a bit more freedom themselves.