Taxi Reform: Changes Could Mean Better Service

Jessica Rapp | Apr 19, 2013 10:00 am | 5 comments | 2520 reads

Earlier this week we announced that the taxi fare is going up – still no word yet as to how much or when – and now we're hearing that the government aims to make significant reforms to Beijing's taxi service as early as the end of June.

The Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport hopes to impose new regulations for Beijing's taxi companies so as to relieve taxi drivers of heavy financial burdens. This may include lowering the fee drivers pay to their taxi companies and requiring company reviews every six years to make sure drivers are delivering quality service and using their time efficiently. If taxi companies score low in these reviews, they could lose their license or be merged into a larger company.

These plans, the government hopes, should make it easier to catch a cab in the city as drivers won't have to be burdened by extra fees. Only time will tell. Meanwhile, the Didi Dache app seems to be becoming a popular alternative for desperately waving down a cab, but after some complaints on Weibo, ifeng.com is asking its readers if these apps are actually making the situation worse.

What do you think? Have you used an app to catch a cab, and if so, how did it go?

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Jerry's picture Jerry Submitted by Guest on Tue, 04/23/2013 - 09:09

Quote:
They should at least stop taxi drivers all pissing in the same spot down Baizawan, it smells like, well, the concentrated piss of a thousand men. Which is not very nice. Especially when it gets warmer.

Hear, hear - that whole row, with its diptheria-laden noodle joints and raw sewage, needs to go.

Even taxi drivers (the ones who don't eat there) tell me they think it's disgusting and don't understand why anyone would frequent those dives.

Jerry Chan, Digital Marketing & Content Strategy Director

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