The city of Huzhou in Zhejiang province has raised the age cap for cruising taxi drivers from 60 to 65, becoming the latest city to do so as China faces an increasing pressure of an aging society and calls for delaying retirement.

Starting in October, Huzhou enacted its updated local regulation on the qualification of taxi drivers, setting the age cap for taxi drivers at 65. The city also pledged to monitor demand and adjust the number of taxis and fares accordingly.

The city, with a population of more than 3 million, boasts around 1,500 taxis.

Previously, the age cap was set following the official retirement age — 60 for men, 55 for female cadres and 50 for female workers nationwide. That limit was set according to a document in 1978, when China had a significantly lower life expectancy, and more people engage in labor-intensive careers.

Over the last two years, a growing number of cities have rolled out similar policies to relax the age limit of taxi drivers, including metropolises such as Guangzhou in Guangdong province, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province and Chengdu in Sichuan province.

Some netizens have raised doubts on potential safety issues related to taxis driving by the elderly. But more people welcomed the decision, saying that it would serve as an example to break unreasonable age limits or some might even call it discrimination, against the backdrop of an aging society in China.

In an editorial on Monday, Beijing News underlined the exemplary effect that the change sets, adding that based on the overall health status, setting the age cap to 65 can relatively balance safety concerns and the trend of an aging society.

In April last year, several female cruising taxi drivers in Ziyang, Sichuan province, were forced to retire after they hit 50, which led to a debate on whether the current age gap should be adjusted. Ziyang authorities answered at the time that only major cities may relax the age limit through local legislation, and there would be no legal base if Ziyang were to follow suit, adding that they have suggested the Ministry of Transport to issue nationwide guidelines.

China removed the age cap of 70 for applying for a driver's license in November 2020, although those above 70 need to undergo extra tests on memory, judgment and response, and submit a health check-up report to prove that they are still capable of driving safely.

In a document released in 2021, the central authorities were looking to improve the affairs regarding the elderly through various means, including letting the elderly, especially those who were relatively younger and capable, to contribute to the society by working or help in community affairs. Meanwhile, for the last decade or so, China has also been contemplating a nationwide plan of delaying the retirement age through a gradual and steady manner, although the details are still being deliberated.

Japan, one of the countries that faces the most severe aging problem, has encouraged and subsidized enterprises that employ the elderly. Drivers that are hired by taxi companies in Tokyo may be up to 75 years old, and the number would be even higher for private taxis. The average age of taxi drivers in the country is 58.6 years.