BEIJING TAXIS

Taxis of a company have the same color, head lamps and similar interior decorations, while drivers are required to wear uniforms and speak politely to passengers. The companies aim to survive in a market where taxi drivers are competing fiercely with each other in getting passengers. Beijing also wants to regulate taxi drivers who are rude to or even cheat passengers. Traffic administration officials said another 12,000 taxis with standard services will go into service in the near future in order to increase the services of taxi drivers. Taxi drivers who failed to provide standard service will be dismissed and head lamps on their cars will be removed. (Xinhua)

So, you think YOU have too much competiton in your city? Sure, there a lot of PEOPLE in Beijing, but 92,000 TAXICABS? I'm told most of them don't use radio dispatching--people just flag them down.
With numbers like these, Beijing may become the TAXICAB CAPITOL OF THE WORLD
It will be interesting to note what cars are most used, and which are most successful in terms of longevity, maintenance cost, and driver/passenger acceptability.
The number of privately owned vehicles is growing rapidly as well, so these taxis will be operating in traffic at least as dense as any major city.
This development presents a unique opportunity for a Chinese-manufactured sedan designed for taxi use, as was the Checker and is the London Taxi. Such a car, designed to optimize durability, fuel and maintenance economy, and passenger comfort, would not only have a sizeable domestic market, which would test the success of its design and quality, but would provide excellent publicity for Chinese manufacturing capability throughout the world. Normally when a new car is introduced to the world market, its value is unknown, and it must rely on a low initial price and lots of advertising to build initial sales. But after a year or two of testing as a taxicab on the streets of Beijing and other major cities in China, such a car would attract the interest and respect of automotive publications and knowledgeable car buyers everywhere.

And just a note to those with short-sighted political bias: It is in the best interest of the entire world that its most populous nation develops a strong economy. When people can afford food, clothing, and shelter, and perhaps a few luxuries as well, they are not only happier but more friendly and peaceful as well. So it is with nations of people.


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