Eastern China's Shanghai City started on Thursday to issue a monthly blacklist of the taxi companies whose drivers most frequently violate traffic regulations.

The list will be used to monitor and regulate the performance of the city's 46,000-plus taxis, which are operated by 92 companies, according to Shanghai traffic authorities.

Blacklisted companies are expected to urge drivers to abide by the Taxi Regulations of Shanghai Municipality. Offenses include running red lights, parking illegally and refusing passengers.

The list for February had 19 companies whose violation rates exceeded 4 percent.

Blacklisted companies would be warned and frequent offenders would be punished, authorities said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2008)