Long and winding road to improve taxis before Beijing Olympics
24/6/2008 17:23
Traffic authorities in Beijing are stepping up scrutiny of sub-standard
taxi services and vowing severe penalties for cab drivers who refuse passengers,
take indirect routes to drive up the meter (or refuse to use the meter at all),
or keep dirty cabs on the road.
The complex road system of the Chinese
capital city has, many visitors to the city contend, provided an excuse for
drivers to take circuitous and expensive routes on the pretense of avoiding
traffic jams.
But according to the Beijing Municipal Transportation Law
Enforcement General Team, such drivers will be fined 1,000 to 2,000 yuan (about
143 to US$286) from now on. Drivers will also be fined 200 yuan if their vehicle
is dirty, especially the seats.
More than 200 traffic supervisors will carry
out surprise checks once a week to stamp out such practices, and other
inspectors will monitor taxis at intersections.
The effort will focus on
areas surrounding dozens of Olympic-appointed hotels including the Peninsula
Palace Hotel and Sunworld Dynasty Hotel in Wangfujing Street, a shopping and
hotel area in downtown Beijing.
Stepped-up supervision is already in progress
at several Beijing transportation hubs, including the Beijing Railway Station,
Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3
and Sihui Long Distance Bus Station.
In addition, rent-a-car companies in the
city will adopt a new rate schedule from July 20 to Sept. 20, reported the
Beijing Times. Rates for all kinds of cars will be two to five times current
levels.
The policy is said to be a result of the city's even-odd system based
on license plate numbers that will keep about 50 percent of vehicles off the
road on alternate days from July 20 to Sept. 20 to ease congestion and improve
air quality.
The Ministry of Public Security also recently announced that
large trucks would be barred from certain traffic routes in the central city.
From July 1 to Sept. 20, out-of-town trucks will have to detour along National
highway 112, which circles Beijing, to enter the capital, according to the
decision.
Some trucks will be exempt, such as those carrying fresh farm
products like vegetables and live pigs, but even these must have official
certificates.
Yesterday, half of the 22,800 vehicles used by all-level Party
organs, governments and public institutions in Beijing were kept off the road in
line with a one-month traffic restriction on government motor vehicles issued by
the Beijing Municipal Government.
Xinhua
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