Online car-hailing is legal, and individuals can become part-time online car-hailing drivers
Yesterday afternoon, the Ministry of Transport, together with the Ministry of Public Security and other seven departments, announced the "Interim Measures for the Administration of Online Booking Taxi Business Services". The new regulations clearly give online car-hailing legal status and register such vehicles as "booking taxi passenger transportation". Previously, the exposure draft required online car-hailing to be registered as "taxis". At the same time, the new regulations make it clear that eligible private cars can be converted into online car-hailing operations, and part-time drivers can also be "free" and will not affect their original occupations.
Eligible private cars can be used for online car-hailing
The new regulations stipulate that vehicles intended to engage in online car-hailing operations shall meet the following conditions: (1) Passenger cars with seven seats or less; (2) Installation of vehicle satellite positioning devices and emergency alarm devices with driving record functions; (3) Vehicle technical performance meets the requirements of relevant standards for operational safety.
The taxi administrative department at the place where the service is located shall apply to the vehicle owner or the online car-hailing platform company, and after review according to the prescribed conditions, issue the "Online Booking Taxi Transport Certificate" to the vehicles that meet the conditions and are registered as reserved rental passengers.
Online ride-hailing drivers must have no record of drunk driving
Drivers who engage in online car-hailing services should meet the following conditions: obtain a motor vehicle driver’s license for the corresponding approved driving model and have more than 3 years of driving experience; no traffic accident crime, dangerous driving crime record, no drug abuse record, no driving record after drinking, and no record of 12 points in the last 3 consecutive scoring cycles; no violent criminal record, etc. Drivers who meet the conditions and pass the assessment will be issued a "Online Booking Taxi Driver’s License".
Part-time ride-hailing drivers are "freelance"
The online car-hailing platform can sign various forms of employment contracts or agreements with drivers according to the characteristics of working hours and service frequency to meet the flexible employment needs of online car-hailing. This means that part-time drivers are "free" and do not affect their jobs.
In the exposure draft, the clause "online car-hailing cannot connect to two or more network service platforms to provide operation services at the same time" did not appear in the final plan, which means that a special car can connect to platforms such as Didi, Uber and Yidao at the same time. Online car-hailing is no longer required to install a meter, and can use satellite positioning to measure and time.
The service life is up to 8 years, and it cannot be used for online car-hailing.
The new regulations clarify the scrapping standards for online car-hailing. When the mileage of the online car reaches 600,000 kilometers, it will be forcibly scrapped. When the mileage does not reach 600,000 kilometers but the service life reaches 8 years, it will withdraw from the online car-hailing business. At present, most cities in the country have a taxi scrapping life of 8 years. The previous exposure draft, the industry has believed that if it is scrapped in 8 years, many private cars will be stopped outside the special car platform.
Online car-hailing implements market-regulated prices
The new regulations make it clear that the market-regulated price of online car-hailing shall be implemented, except where the city people’s government deems it necessary to implement the government-guided price. The competition of online car-hailing shall not be excluded or restricted, but online car-hailing operators shall not hinder fair competition in the market, and shall not disrupt the normal market order by operating at a price lower than cost in order to crowd out competitors or monopolize the market. Online car-hailing platform companies shall assume the responsibility of the carrier, protect the legitimate rights and interests of passengers and drivers, and reduce disputes. Online car-hailing platform companies shall collect the personal information of drivers, car-hailing and passengers, and shall not exceed the scope necessary to provide online car-hailing business.
Prevent illegal operation under the banner of "hitchhiking"
The new policy once again explicitly encourages private passenger car sharing. The new regulations require that city people’s governments should encourage private passenger car sharing and formulate corresponding regulations, but they need to clarify the rights and obligations of the three parties, including the ride-sharing service provider, the ride-sharing person and the ride-sharing information service platform, and regulate its development. The new policy also proposes that all localities should formulate supporting regulations in light of the actual situation of the city to define the boundary between private passenger car sharing and online car-hailing, and prevent illegal operations under the banner of "free ride".
The online car-hailing method leaves a 3-month transition period
The online car-hailing management measures have left a three-month policy transition period and will be implemented from November 1 this year. Within three months, local governments will come up with local detailed rules, and the qualifications of special car platforms, vehicles, and drivers will also be approved one after another. At that time, the legalization of special cars will truly fall from the provisions to reality. (Reporter, Meng Huan)
reaction
Online ride-hailing driver: No more fear of inspection
The introduction of the interim measures for online car-hailing drivers has generally welcomed the introduction of online car-hailing. A part-time online car-hailing driver told reporters: "I heard that people were stopped by the traffic police because they went to the airport to pull work. Not only did they pay a fine, but they were also detained. They made themselves worried about earning a small amount of money every day. After the introduction of the new policy, Kaidi will no longer be afraid of inspections!"
Some drivers are also worried that the introduction of the interim measures will raise the threshold for personal driving online car-hailing. "It will be eliminated when the regulations are formulated. It is estimated that the review will be very strict at that time, and many colleagues will be blocked from the door now."
Some drivers said that although the introduction of the interim measures means that the online car-hailing platform has been legalized, for drivers, only the "Online Booking Taxi Transportation Certificate" issued by the local government can be considered legal operation. However, as of now, the local government has not yet come out with detailed regulations on the conditions of online car-hailing drivers, so no one can be 100% sure whether they will meet the local regulations, which will bring variables to the business prospects of online car-hailing drivers.
After the introduction of the new regulations, online ride-hailing drivers need to "hold a license to work". Some drivers are concerned that if the procedures for applying for the "Online Rental Car Transport Permit" are too complicated, it will go against the original intention of online ride-hailing drivers to pursue freedom and flexibility in their work. One part-time driver complained in an online post that the subsidies given to part-time drivers by online ride-hailing platforms are now less and less, and if the procedures are still too complicated by then, they will not do it.
Taxi drivers: hope to reduce their cost
When the reporter mentioned the new regulations to a taxi driver, the driver immediately complained: "After the online car-hailing car became popular, the road became more and more congested, but there were fewer and fewer passengers. Now the monthly income is only more than 3,000 yuan, which is about 2,000 yuan less than the original!"
Taxi drivers are more concerned about the reduction of driving income and the high proportion of money than the question of whether online car-hailing is legal. "I owe the company hundreds of dollars every day when I open my eyes. If it wasn’t for the fact that the contract still has more than a year to expire, I would not want to work long ago." The driver told reporters that if the new regulations can force the company to raise its awareness of competition, charge less money, and truly understand the hard work of ordinary drivers, I will also support it.
Online car-hailing platform: there is huge room for development
After the introduction of the new regulations, various online car-hailing companies have expressed their welcome. Zhou Hang, the founder of Yidao Yongche, said in a Weibo post last night that while the interim measures point out the direction for all entrepreneurs, they also reassure practitioners and put aside the debate between "legal" and "illegal".
China’s Uber issued a statement saying that the interim measures conform to the trend of technological innovation and incorporate the platform into the national information infrastructure building, marking that the online car-hailing industry has officially entered a new journey of standardized and healthy development.
Didi Chuxing said that online car-hailing currently only carries about 1% of the daily travel needs of China’s urban population, and there is still huge room for development in the future. Didi also called on local governments at all levels to encourage innovation and streamline administration in the process of implementing central policies. (Intern reporter, Li Bo)
review
Big cities should control the number of online car-hailing
Wang Limei, vice president of the China Road Transport Association, said in an interview with reporters this morning that the interim measures for online car-hailing are tailor-made for the current situation of online car-hailing, and actually reduce the requirements for online car-hailing. "If the differentiated service is not done well, it will lead to disorderly competition. It is best to segment the market, and there is a distinction in price and service quality. The entry and exit of online car-hailing practitioners need to be strictly regulated, so as to ensure the safety of passengers. In big cities like Beijing, it is necessary to control the number of online car-hailing. In addition, the specific details of online car-hailing subsidies need to be discussed."
Guo Jifu, director of the Beijing Transportation Development Research Center, said the interim measures left room for different places and cities with their own transportation characteristics. Take Beijing as an example, the main direction of travel is mainly based on public transportation. At present, private cars are regulated, and taxis will definitely be effectively managed, whether it is traditional cruise cars or online car-hailing.
Huang Shaoqing, an associate professor of economics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, believes that the interim measures will not allow a large number of private cars to withdraw from the online car-hailing industry, but various places can formulate higher driver access standards, especially big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, to control the number of online car-hailing. In the future, there will definitely be more and more online car-hailing, but traditional cruise taxis will not die. (Reporter, Meng Huan, Cartography, Li Liyun)