Han Ximin

ximhan@126.com

SHENZHEN authorities criticized Didi’s Shenzhen company for deficiencies in background checks on its drivers and ordered the operator to rectify its incorrect practices before the end of September.

At a meeting yesterday with executives of the company, government officials from related departments, including the transport commission and public security bureau, ordered it to standardize online taxi- hailing services, share data with authorities in a timely manner and eliminate the possibility of false registration.

The data that Didi filed with the supervision platform of the Shenzhen transport commission showed that around 5,000 drivers and nearly 2,000 vehicles do not possess cab-driving certificates or vehicle business permits from authorities.

“Didi needs to carry out its responsibility in ensuring work safety and establishing a credit management system. If they fail to correct their practices by the deadline, the authority will act according to the rules to revoke its operation license and disqualify it from serving in Shenzhen,” according to a report by Shenzhen TV, quoting Zeng Hao from the taxi management department of the Shenzhen Public Transport Administration.

According to Zeng, Didi has serious loopholes in its management, defects in handling complaints and a rigid process for sharing information with police.

A resident surnamed Zhang complained that he discovered a vehicle he had taken to Dongguan in March was more than six months overdue for its annual check.

Another resident surnamed Chen complained that once he was dropped off half way up a hill by a Didi cab he took from Meisha hospital to OCT East. When he called the driver to complain that he was still 2 kilometers away from his destination, the driver verbally abused him.

Some other residents also complained about being threatened or even forced to get off the vehicle in the middle of a trip.

So far this year, the Shenzhen transport commission has levied 26.9 million yuan (US$3.9 million) in fines over 2,100 illegal taxi services by eight app-based cab operators, including Didi.

Didi is in the spotlight again after a 20-year-old woman was raped and killed by a Didi driver in Zhejiang Province on Friday. Didi suspended its Hitch service nationwide yesterday.

The company has promised to submit a plan for improving compliance to central authorities by Sept. 1. It will also launch a service that will allow users to contact police in emergencies and to improve the mechanism for providing evidence to the police.

China unveiled its first nationwide regulations for ride-hailing services in July 2016, granting legal status to the industry.