MANY Shenzhen cabbies are facing a dilemma as the taxi industry undergoes a shakeup after ridesharing services were legalized last month.

    A cabbie, surnamed Tang, has worked as a taxi driver in Shenzhen since 1997. He used to earn 8,000 yuan (US$1,194) to 10,000 yuan per month. “Even some public officials didn’t earn so much money at the time,” he said about the good old days. But now he only earns about 3,000 yuan per month.

    Although the taxi company and the government offer him a monthly subsidy of 3,000 yuan, he has to pay 10,100 yuan in monthly rent to the taxi company.

    Tang blamed Didi and other ridesharing apps for his declining earnings. “Those car-hailing apps offered subsidies to customers, which is an unfair competition,” he said. “Now these ridesharing services are legalized, making us feel more disheartened than ever.”

    After working in the industry for 20 years, Tang is proud of his job. But his nephew, who takes the night shift for him, has second thoughts. He has been moaning about the low income and babbling about quitting. It will be difficult for Tang to find another night-shift driver if his nephew quits.

    Another 58-year-old cabbie, surnamed Wang, has worked as a taxi driver for 13 years, until he retired last May and started working as an Uber driver. Now he earns around 8,000 yuan a month and has more freedom and less stress than he had as a taxi driver.

    After the government legalized online car-hailing platforms July 28, the industry has been going through a rapid reformation.

    Some drivers quit after the new rules qualifying ridesharing drivers were introduced. The rules specify that only those who have more than three years of driving experience with no criminal or serious traffic violation records are eligible to become ride-hailing drivers. Besides, all cars used in ridesharing services must be equipped with GPS, vehicle data recorders and emergency alarm devices.

    Some see it as an opportunity for cabbies to make a comeback, but Luo Qin, a scholar at Shenzhen University, wasn’t so optimistic. “In a healthy, functional and competitive economy, taxi drivers and ride-hailing service drivers shouldn’t be enemies,” he said. (Zhang Yang, Angelina Xu)