Taking a taxi in Nanjing can be a hit-and-miss experience. Is the driver a lunatic? Does he or she try to rip you off? Were you ripped off unconsciously? All this could soon be a thing of the past, and it’s all thanks to a lowly QR code.
On 5 January, the Nanjing Transportation Bureau launched its “100 Days of Action” on transportation safety. As part of the initiative, the city will roll out a QR code system for taxis that will provide all kinds of information for passengers, helping to make them feel more at ease both during the journey and with their driver.
The move comes as police crack down on all manner of illegal behaviour by Nanjing’s taxi drivers.
“You see, this is the cheater”, said a law enforcement officer to reporters for the Yangtze Evening News, demonstrating one of the most common cons which Nanjing taxi drivers try on with their passengers.
Placed on the back of a regular taxi meter, the cheat device comes with a remote control which the driver can use along the journey to exaggerate the mileage travelled. The devices are sold and installed by the criminal fraternity.
Another of Nanjing’s most popular taxi scams is to be found at Nanjing South Railway Station. Commonly referred to as “Buy it Now” (一口价), the con is an easy one to pull off at this particular pick-up point, given that many drivers may queue for 30-40 minutes before getting a fare. As such, it is relatively easy for them to demand passengers to pay a fixed price for the journey that is much greater than by using the meter.
These are exactly the kind of scams that the new QR code system aims to put an end to.
Upon scanning the code, passengers will be able to obtain an accurate estimation of the fare for the journey as well as the driver’s name and employer, whether he or she has made an unnecessary detour, and other information. This remains in the passenger’s smartphone for easy reference later should it be required.
Nanjing Traffic Law Enforcement Bureau representative, Zhai Wei, outlined other benefits of the new scheme to reporters, saying, “[Passengers] can make payment and also leave a review of the service they have received. And it is much easier to retrieve lost items”.
The new scheme is expected to be fully rolled by the middle of 2021.
Police remind the travelling public that if they suspect their taxi driver of illegal behaviour, they should call the municipal government service hotline, 12345, to report the incident.