Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200811/20081114/article_380623.htm
Chongqing crackdown on illegal cabs begins
Created: 2008-11-14 1:05:12
CHINA'S fourth-largest city, Chongqing, will take measures to crack down on unlicensed cabs in a bid to end taxi driver strikes that sprung up around the city and beyond.
The southwestern municipality yesterday announced a three-month campaign to crack down on unlicensed taxis to placate licensed drivers who stopped work for two days last week.
The campaign, to be jointly conducted by the transport administration and the police, will start today, said Zhou Bo, spokesman of the municipal government.
The announcement was made in the wake of the two-day strike, when disgruntled taxi drivers demanded government action to resolve problems such as high rental fees, fuel shortages, and unlicensed taxis.
Unlicensed cabs, among other grievances, also sparked strikes in the southern tourist city of Sanya and the northwestern county of Yongdeng earlier this week.
The local governments have pledged to take measures to protect the interests of licensed drivers.
Authorities in other cities, such as Beijing and Shenyang, have also staged crackdown campaigns on illegal cabs.
A small number of cabbies returned to work in Sanya yesterday, three days after the strike began.
The exact number of taxis operating was still not available.
More than 100 drivers have been rallying outside the city government offices since Tuesday, demanding a detailed government plan to tackle their complaints.
Many drivers said they would resume services as long as the companies scrapped rental fees.
Twenty-three people of the 28 detained by police were being held for suspected violence during the strike, a police source said.
The southwestern municipality yesterday announced a three-month campaign to crack down on unlicensed taxis to placate licensed drivers who stopped work for two days last week.
The campaign, to be jointly conducted by the transport administration and the police, will start today, said Zhou Bo, spokesman of the municipal government.
The announcement was made in the wake of the two-day strike, when disgruntled taxi drivers demanded government action to resolve problems such as high rental fees, fuel shortages, and unlicensed taxis.
Unlicensed cabs, among other grievances, also sparked strikes in the southern tourist city of Sanya and the northwestern county of Yongdeng earlier this week.
The local governments have pledged to take measures to protect the interests of licensed drivers.
Authorities in other cities, such as Beijing and Shenyang, have also staged crackdown campaigns on illegal cabs.
A small number of cabbies returned to work in Sanya yesterday, three days after the strike began.
The exact number of taxis operating was still not available.
More than 100 drivers have been rallying outside the city government offices since Tuesday, demanding a detailed government plan to tackle their complaints.
Many drivers said they would resume services as long as the companies scrapped rental fees.
Twenty-three people of the 28 detained by police were being held for suspected violence during the strike, a police source said.
Xinhua
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