Han Ximin

ximhan@126.com

SHENZHEN drivers who wish to record the days they don’t spend driving can now apply through the Shenzhen police official WeChat or Alipay account, according to Shenzhen traffic police at a launch ceremony in the square outside of the Shenzhen Book City CBD Store.

WeChat users can apply by entering the interface of Green Commuting at the Shenzhen Traffic Police official account and record the time period during which they will not be driving.

Alipay users can apply by entering the “City Service” tab then selecting “Car Owner” followed by “Star Driver Service” then follow Green Commuting Service to begin the application and enter the time period of driving suspension.

“The simple application will bring convenience to drivers applying for car driving suspension by reducing congestion and pollution caused by cars,” Xu Wei, director of Shenzhen’s traffic police bureau, said at the launch ceremony yesterday.

Shenzhen Green Commuting Joint Conference Office and Shenzhen police initiated the driving suspension application program in 2011 when the Summer Universiade was held in the city.

In the past years, police had received 3.06 million applications for suspending for a cumulative 4.64 million days. The shift of the application platform from the police official website to their WeChat and Alipay accounts will streamline the application process for drivers, who can accumulate points in exchange for rewards through the carbon emission reduction account.

To encourage green commuting among private drivers, Ant Financial Service Group has allotted 10 million yuan (US$1.52 million) in lucky draw coupons towards phone bills, fuel bills and data usage bills at its City Service for drivers who record their non-driving days.