Final straw in Didi crackdown

Didi Chuxing has been ordered to weed out all unqualified drivers and cars by the end of the month.

The order follows an incident on Thursday where an unqualified Didi driver injured four people when he tried to flee from a checkpoint.

Hao Alei, who is not a Shanghai resident, was stopped at the junction of Yan’an Road W. and Zhenning Road by traffic law enforcement officers. Slowing down, he told officers he would pull over, but when asked to stop immediately, he stepped on the accelerator, dragging one officer along the road. The officer eventually fell on the ground and required six stitches on his right ear.

Hao then lost control of the car, hitting an old lady on a bike, before smashing into the front of a barber shop where a young woman was seriously injured and rushed to hospital, where she remains, though her condition is not life-threatening.

Hao and his passenger were also injured.

Hao has been detained and will face a 10,000 yuan (US$ 1,500)  fine for operating ride-hailing service without a certificate. His driver’s license has been suspended. More serious charges related to his violent attempt to escape and injuries caused are likely to follow.

Didi Chuxing faces a 100,000 yuan penalty.

The company was summoned by the traffic authority on Friday, given a list of drivers who have been busted over the past few weeks and ordered to sack them all within a week.

According to the regulations, ride-hailing can only be provided by drivers with Shanghai residency who have passed an examination. The car must also have a local plate.

Ti Gong