Related News
Home » Metro » Public Services
Taxi tariff changes under scrutiny
By Dong Zhen and Li Xinran |
May 5, 2009, Tuesday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
SHANGHAI'S traffic authority is assessing taxi tariff changes that could include bringing forward the late-night surcharge to rush hours.
The study is in response to a political advisor's proposal presented during this year's parliamentary session.
The cancellation of the late night fee and introduction of a rush hour tariff is included in a study on adjustment of the city's taxi charging system, said the Urban Communication, Transport and Port Administration Bureau.
The bureau is also considering the feasibility of shortening the time limit for waiting charges to encourage cabbies to expand into downtown areas during rush hours.
Many taxi drivers would rather pick up passengers in the suburbs during peak hours because of the congestion in downtown. This causes trouble for people in downtown areas wanting to catch a cab during the period.
As any change involves the interests of different parties, such as passengers, cabbies and taxi companies, the bureau emphasized that a full assessment was necessary before any new policies were implemented.
Tu Haiming, a member of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, has proposed the change, saying it's for the sake of both passengers and cabbies.
He suggested the pricing bureau cancel or lower the surcharge on taxi rides between 11pm and 5am.
Instead, extra fees should be charged by cabs during rush hours, when taxis are always in great demand downtown and traffic is often seriously congested, Tu said.
He said many cabbies had told him late-night business was always slack and passengers often tried to get discounts.
The surcharge needed to be reduced to encourage late-night passengers and improve business for cabbies, Tu said.
A survey by Tu found 75 percent of the interviewees agreed to cancel the night fee, while 50 percent of the cabbies interviewed held the same view. Some 30 percent cabbies responded to Tu's survey saying the night fee could be charged from 12am or 1am instead of the current 11pm.
The study is in response to a political advisor's proposal presented during this year's parliamentary session.
The cancellation of the late night fee and introduction of a rush hour tariff is included in a study on adjustment of the city's taxi charging system, said the Urban Communication, Transport and Port Administration Bureau.
The bureau is also considering the feasibility of shortening the time limit for waiting charges to encourage cabbies to expand into downtown areas during rush hours.
Many taxi drivers would rather pick up passengers in the suburbs during peak hours because of the congestion in downtown. This causes trouble for people in downtown areas wanting to catch a cab during the period.
As any change involves the interests of different parties, such as passengers, cabbies and taxi companies, the bureau emphasized that a full assessment was necessary before any new policies were implemented.
Tu Haiming, a member of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, has proposed the change, saying it's for the sake of both passengers and cabbies.
He suggested the pricing bureau cancel or lower the surcharge on taxi rides between 11pm and 5am.
Instead, extra fees should be charged by cabs during rush hours, when taxis are always in great demand downtown and traffic is often seriously congested, Tu said.
He said many cabbies had told him late-night business was always slack and passengers often tried to get discounts.
The surcharge needed to be reduced to encourage late-night passengers and improve business for cabbies, Tu said.
A survey by Tu found 75 percent of the interviewees agreed to cancel the night fee, while 50 percent of the cabbies interviewed held the same view. Some 30 percent cabbies responded to Tu's survey saying the night fee could be charged from 12am or 1am instead of the current 11pm.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
