Taxi fare hearing fuels debate

A call for a public hearing to examine Beijing's taxi fares to be held in May has already sparked criticism from consumers, drivers and experts, who say the witnesses called to offer opinions will be handpicked and the hearing is only a formality.

The Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform said Monday that it will invite 25 participants to the hearing who will be recommended by government sponsored organizations including the Beijing Consumer Association and the municipal People's Congress.

The commission will be looking into how to provide better taxi services during rush hours, a time when many drivers refuse to drive saying they cannot cover their costs when they are stuck in traffic. The commission has not released a proposal for raising taxi fares.

The current taxi fare, which has not been raised since 2005, is 2 yuan ($0.3) per kilometer, with a flag drop of 10 yuan for the first three kilometers and a two yuan charge for every five minutes stalled in traffic. A fuel surcharge rose from two yuan per trip to three yuan on March 1 to offset the cost of rising gas prices.

While many expect the commission will recommend increasing taxi fares, Wang Hejie, a taxi driver doesn't think that will increase drivers' income.

"Raising the taxi fare will only continue the vicious cycle of more money going to gasoline providers with consumers paying the price," Wang told the Global Times, adding that a better solution would be to force taxi companies to reduce the rental fees.

Many taxi drivers have to pay more than 5,000 yuan a month in rental fees and pay about 3,000 yuan a month for fuel and repairs before they make any money for themselves.

Wang wants the commission to communicate with drivers instead of just talking to management personnel in taxi companies.

Many Web users have already discredited the coming hearing suggesting the voice of the taxi-using public isn't likely to be fully represented.

"The representatives attending the hearing are mostly invited by those who organize the hearing," Zhu Lijia, professor with Public Administration Studies at the Chinese Academy of Governance, told the Global Times. "They certainly will support the organizers' point of view."

Many citizens complain they have little influence in the public-hearing process which usually ends up as rubber stamps of a government agency's original proposal.

Zhu said the commission should let all interested residents apply to attend the hearing and then use a lottery draw to decide who gets to testify. He also worries that increasing taxi fares would worsen the city's transportation problem as fewer people will be able to afford to take taxis.