Private cars in Xiamen banned from offering illegal pick-up service
Xiamen launched a 100-day crackdown on the illegal operation of pick-up service by private cars in the city on June 1st.
1,107 vehicles were caught illegally being operated for pick-up service in Xiamen last year, and 751 vehicles were caught from January to May this year.
The relevant law enforcement departments will enhance supervision at the main tourist distribution centers, such as railway stations, ferry terminals, long-distance bus stations, scenic spots and the Xiamen airport.
More than 20 cases involving the special pick-up service (or '专车' in Chinese) by private car owners have occurred in Xiamen this year, in which the private car owners found their passengers via popular cab-hailing apps.
China's Ministry of Transport banned private cars from taking passengers for profit in January this year and ordered app developers, including Didi and a similar service, Kuaidi, to only dispatch cars owned by taxi or car-rental companies for ride-on-demand services "out of safety concerns."
The state taxi management system is characterized by stringent market entry requirements and a cartel of taxi companies. The issue has grown as taxi drivers in some places have complained that they are asked to pay too much for contract fees with the app developers, while passengers often find it difficult to hail taxis when they need them.
Why Xiamen
-
Xiamen is one of the most economically competitive cities in China and was one of the first Special Economic Zones on the Chinese mainland. As a vice-provincial city independently listed on the State development plan, it has provincial-level authority in economic administration and local legislative power. In 2010, the Xiamen SEZ was expanded to cover the entire municipality. Today, Xiamen is a modern and international port city.