Stopping slots for taxis increased at downtown bus stops
The number of exclusive stopping slots for taxis at downtown bus stops has been increased to 219 at 104 stops, Shanghai traffic police said on Thursday.
The slots are usually found at both ends of a bus stop and clearly marked.
In cooperation with the city's transport commission, police announced the first 79 of such slots in August this year.
In addition, the number of street parking spots exclusively for taxi drivers during lunch and dinner has been increased to 42, police said.
The parking spots are distributed in Changning, Hongkou, Jing'an and Xuhui districts and the Pudong New Area, with the most in Pudong which has six.
It's estimated that the parking spots have about 800 slots for taxis.
Blue signs marked with "P" are erected at the parking spots indicating 11:30am to 1:30pm and 7:30pm to 9:30pm as the two time periods when taxis are allowed to park there.
In downtown, taxi drivers usually dine at low-price restaurants on small streets, and gradually "colonies" of parked taxis formed in some spots. Police said the parking spots for dining taxi drivers are more such spots.
Shanghai introduced the first 33 such parking spots in 2007, and over the years the number rose and fell as the parking spots were eliminated due to community transformation or added where possible.
