Didi to relaunch hitchhiking service this month

Didi Chuxing, China's leading mobile ride-hailing platform, said Thursday it will relaunch its hitchhiking service in seven Chinese cities at the end of this month.

The service was suspended last year following the murder of a female passenger by her Didi driver.

The relaunch trial will start in the cities of Harbin, Taiyuan, Shijiazhuang and Changzhou from Nov. 20 and cover Shenyang, Beijing and Nantong from Nov. 29, Didi said.

The trial will start with trips within 50 km in downtown areas between 5am and 11pm for male users. Female users will be able to use the service between 5am and 8pm.

Didi said the service will have improved safety features and stricter driver and passenger verification mechanisms.