DiDi predicts surging car-pools for Chinese New Year migration

BEIJING -- Chinese people are expected to take 33million car-pool trips during the upcoming Spring Festival travel rush, Chinese ride-sharing giant DiDi Chuxing has predicted.

The month-long travel rush "Chunyun" is forecast to see 2.98 billion home-bound trips, the National Development and Reform Commission said.

Although railways have long been top choice for the annual migration, train and air services cannot fully meet the mammoth transport demands. To meet these needs, DiDi launched its inter-city ride-sharing service Hitch ahead of Chunyun in 2016.

The service allows users to pair traveling needs not only within a city but also across the country, making it possible for drivers to take passengers when travelling home for Chinese new year.

The Hitch trips expect three times the total carpooling trips this year compared with the previous two years, thanks to enhanced AI technology, new safety mechanisms and the service's expansion from cities to smaller townships, according to DiDi.