Another Shanghai taxi fare hike?
Flagging this guy down might cost you more come July. Summer might just mean higher Shanghai taxi prices to go with city’s scorching temperatures.
Shanghai’s pricing authorities, according to Shanghai Daily, are allowing the public to comment on a proposed taxi fare adjustment that will be announced later in May.
Shanghai currently has about 50,000 taxis in service (although it might not feel like it on a rainy day), not counting the gray market cabs and gypsy motorcycle cabs.
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The fare increase, many believe, is related to the rise in oil prices, which caused long lines at local pumps the night before prices were raised in April.
If the city can’t be persuaded by the public’s cry against the increase, they new pricing system will go into effect in mid-July, government officials said to local papers.
Current taxi rates start at RMB 12 during the day and RMB 16 for late-night fares, for the first three kilometers. Some online are speculating that the new base price will be RMB 15 during the day. In early 2011 the city also considered a tiered rate system with higher prices during peak traffic periods.
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Adopting either the muti-tier system or an overall higher rate will accomplish the city’s broader goal: convincing Shanghai residents to take fewer cabs and opt for other -- less lane-crowding -- forms of transportation.
The last time the city raised taxi rates was 2009.
