Shanghai considers 'flexible taxi fares'
Riding in one of these Shanghai coaches during rush hour could soon cost you more.It might feel like just yesterday that base Shanghai cab fares climbed to RMB 12 along with increases in the price per kilometer, but those responsible for the city’s transportation system think another price hike is the key to reducing the city’s traffic congestion.
The Shanghai Traffic Bureau is considering introducing "flexible taxi rates,” reports Shanghai Daily, “with higher prices during rush hours and cheaper rates at quieter times.”
Shanghai would be following in the tire tracks of cities around the world, including New York City, which implements a similar system.
“This could improve taxi service efficiency, while relieving downtown road congestion,” said a representative from the local transport bureau.
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"There should be better management of taxis in Shanghai," Wang Xiangzhao, a member of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, told Shanghai Daily at the committee's annual session.
The idea behind the plan is simple: administrators hope that higher prices during rush hour will convince local residents to take fewer cabs and opt for other -- less lane-crowding -- forms of transportation. Those responsible for the plan also hope lower prices during off-hours will increase occupancy rates during those times.
Shanghai has about 50,000 taxis -- although it might never feel like that on a rainy day -- and current passenger occupancy rates are reportedly between 60 and 65 percent.
The bureau hasn't released a time line for the possible Shanghai taxi fare changes.
