Traffic authority cracks down on cherry-picking taxi drivers

Cherry picking is one of the most common violations committed by taxi drivers, particularly at the city's airports, train stations and popular scenic spots like the Bund.

Shanghai's traffic law enforcement team received 402 complaints about taxi drivers who refused to take passengers in July, but only 23 of them supplied video or audio evidence.

In the first half this year, cherry picking accounted for nearly a third, or 3,248, of total complaints about the industry, according to the city’s traffic law enforcement team.

However, unlike overcharging or taking detours that can be proved with receipts, complaints about cherry picking involve higher requirements in evidence collection, particularly by supplying audio or video records. But many complainants haven't taken such records.

By the end of July, the authority received a total of 3,650 such complaints this year, but only 38 of them came with audio or video records. The authority investigated all the 38 complaints, but ruled that 24 of them had "invalid evidence."

The city's transportation authority issued a notice to local taxi companies in July to urge them to tighten management and talk to drivers caught cherry picking, overcharging, or taking detours.