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)