Shanghai has launched a crackdown on unlicensed taxis and buses operating downtown and near major traffic hubs, the Municipal Urban Transport Bureau announced yesterday.

Six traffic hubs, including the Shanghai Railway Station and Longyang Road Station along the No. 2 Metro Line, Minhang and Fengxian districts and several towns in suburban Nanhui and Songjiang districts have been listed as key areas for inspection.

The places are known as gathering areas of unlicensed taxis, or "black cabs" as they are commonly called.

Some drivers even put taxi signs and meters on their cars so they look legitimate.

"We have worked to improve the transport business order from last December and we will launch more operations this year to further improve the situation," the bureau said in a statement.

The bureau set up a special team last December to handle the inspections. Since then, the team launched 666 operations and caught 898 unlicensed cabs and busses.

In one case, a man surnamed Deng hopped into a taxi one night after a visit to his friend's home on Xiamen Road, Huangpu District. The taxi had the same top light as Falanhong taxi, a small taxi company in the city.

When he arrived at his home, he gave his public transport card to the driver, who "tried" it in the meter but the machine didn't work. Deng then paid in cash.

The next day he found the card, which he had just added 500 yuan (US$61) to, had no money left on it when he tried to take the subway.

Officials said that they have received many similar complaints, as well as some from taxi drivers who reported their top lights and license plates were stolen.

Real cabbies have also complained about receiving notices in the mail about fines for violation that they didn't commit. They say the violations were committed by "black cabs" using copied or stolen plates.

Taxi riders are warned that if a taxi can't accept a public transport card, it might be an unlicensed cab. They are advised to call police immediately.

Those operating fake taxis face a fine of up to 50,000 yuan, and police can seize the driver's license.

(Shanghai Daily March 1, 2006)