Wanrong county addresses policy flaw affecting taxi drivers during holiday

Due to a 10 percent discount policy on taxi fare for Spring Festival tourists, authorities in Wanrong county, Shanxi province, have apologized and fully compensated local taxi drivers on Feb 25, according to China News Service.

In a statement released by Wanrong county's bureau of culture and tourism, recent media reports had highlighted issues regarding the implementation of its holiday tourism incentives and their impact on taxi drivers' interests.

Under the local policy, tourists can enjoy a 10 percent discount at participating hotels, restaurants, and on taxi fares by presenting a scenic spot ticket during the holiday. But local taxi drivers complained that they were forced to cover the discount out of pocket and could face a threatened fine of ten times the fare for non-compliance. Their complaints were stated in a notice by their company, Zhongtian Taxi, on Feb 7.

The bureau took the matter seriously, immediately convening emergency meetings with other relevant departments to launch an investigation.

Upon review, officials admitted that the supporting measures for the holiday tourism policies were not fully considered during the planning stage, leading to a situation that damaged the interests of taxi drivers.

To address the issue, the bureau said it has organized a thorough review of taxi driver participation in the preferential program. As of now, all the losses of the taxi drivers involved have been fully compensated.

The investigation confirmed that, contrary to some reports, there were no instances during the promotional period where taxi drivers were fined ten times for failing to offer discounts.

The bureau also admitted that this incident exposed a lack of rigor and thoroughness in its work style and expressed its sincere apologies.