Difficulties in Obtaining Evidence Against Dishonest Taxi Drivers in Sanya
By Ge Rongjin, Early Morning Post
At the Sanya Municipal Transportation Bureau's Transport Management Office, the Early Morning Post reporter saw a document titled "Sanya Taxi Enterprise Operation Managers' Commitment" signed in November 2009 by all taxi companies in the city. The document stipulates that taxi drivers must not deceive or induce passengers to shop, consume, gamble, or engage in illicit activities such as prostitution. Violators would be fined 30,000 yuan each time.
Because of the inability to penalize taxi drivers engaging in indirect overcharging, it has indirectly exacerbated the problem of "difficulty in hailing taxis" in Sanya.
During the Spring Festival, the Early Morning Post reporter observed numerous people trying to hail taxis on the roadside, but most empty taxis passed them by without stopping.
Recently, media reports revealed that in the typical chain of overcharging at seafood restaurants in Sanya, taxi drivers play a crucial role by referring customers to these establishments in exchange for kickbacks.
"However, since the regulation was introduced, no taxi driver has been penalized for this," said He Jiacheng, director of the office at the Sanya Municipal Transportation Bureau's Transport Management Department. Passengers who experience fraud or诱导 (inducement) to shop or consume generally file complaints with the industrial and commercial department, which lacks effective communication with the traffic management department, making it difficult for the latter to obtain concrete evidence of passenger exploitation.
"During holidays, taxi drivers usually go to high-end hotels or tourist attractions to wait for customers because the profits there are relatively higher," said an unnamed taxi driver in Sanya. Customers picked up at hotels or scenic spots are mostly tourists. Regardless of whether they are heading to dine or visit other attractions, operators at those locations give taxi drivers a certain amount of kickback. "Often, the amount of one kickback exceeds the driver's daily revenue. Who would then prefer to drive around aimlessly?"
According to the Sanya Municipal Administration for Industry and Commerce's 2011-to-date "Statistical Table of Administrative Penalties for Illegal Operations at Seafood Restaurants," four seafood restaurants, including "Fulin Fish Village" and "Kaiyu Fresh Fish Stall," were penalized for suspected "commercial bribery." These restaurants received fines ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of yuan, but no taxi drivers or other individuals involved in referral kickbacks faced punishment.
Indulgence of Taxi Drivers Worsens Hailing Taxis
Relevant departments had already been aware of taxi drivers helping seafood restaurants lure customers in exchange for kickbacks when setting prices for these establishments. It was reported that 25% to 35% of these restaurants' turnover is typically used as kickbacks for taxi drivers.
Netizens called out yesterday that in the case of overcharging by Fulin Fish Village, not only should Fulin Fish Village be punished, but also the taxi drivers who sent tourists into the "jaws of the tiger" for personal gain should face consequences.