New Rules Will Make it Easier to Order Taxis in Shanghai

By Bridget O'Donnell, December 20, 2017

You'll no longer have to worry about Didi drivers rejecting you because of your intended destination, thanks to new rules recently issued by Shanghai's transport commission.

According to the new regulations, software for ride hailing apps such as Didi Chuxing are now blocked from displaying passenger destinations to drivers before orders are accepted. Instead, the apps will only show the starting destination so as to make the passenger selection service more fair by preventing "cherry-picking" drivers.

Picky drivers have long been a headache for Shanghai residents, and it's an open secret that they often prefer long journeys over shorter ones due to their profitability.

One woman told Shine that she has never been successful in ordering a car to a nearby hospital because it's too close to where she lives.

“I live... [two] kilometers from the hospital,” she said to Shine. “But every time I place an order to Pudong International Airport, it would be immediately accepted, without exception.”

The new rules appear to be part of a larger effort by the city to crack down on drivers who refuse passengers. Earlier this year, transportation authorities issued a notice urging cab firms to address cherry picking, overcharging and taking detours. The practice of "cherry picking" is a traffic violation, but it still frequently occurs at areas with lots of people, including tourist spots like the Bund, train stations and airports.

But unlike blocking final destinations on ride hailing services, it's a little more difficult to enforce the rules for cab drivers picking up customers off the street without the use of an app. While passengers who have been overcharged can prove violations with receipts, people who have been passed over by selective drivers are required to provide harder to obtain evidence — namely, audio or video records — to prove their claims. These higher requirements for evidence collection have made it more difficult for authorities to punish violators.

Hopefully the new ride hailing app fix will solve some of Shanghai's taxi woes.

[Image via Mashable]