Didi Goes Pet-Friendly With This New Service
Taking a cab or Didi in the capital is an experience in itself. Indeed, some of our most memorable stories have taken place in a local taxi. Hilarious anecdotes, eventful rides, high-level conversations on world events — Beijing taxi drivers will dish all that and then some.
What if it's not just you in need of a ride?
Now, throw your pet in the transit equation, and the focus of this talk changes to pure logistics. Will your assigned shifu realize that Snowy is a ball of pure sunshine, or will he welcome your furry soulmate with a sour face? Do they actually have the right to cancel on you if they really don't want pets aboard?
Someone at the Didi headquarters must have thought long and hard about pet-owning users because they're coming up with a so-called "Didi Pet Premier Service" in Beijing. Lo and behold, this feature is not available just yet. According to their publicity materials, a fare announcement will be published some 30 days prior to the launch, with in-app notifications elaborating more on the specific date.
No word on how this will work for those of us who sadly cannot download the app anymore, and rely on the more limited WeChat version, but anyway, this is what we know so far based on the pre-launch materials:
Now Fido can ride shotgun when you hail a Didi
Didi Pet Premier is touted as a service to "allow you to bring your pet to your rides."
The fare for Didi Pet Premier Service will cover "additional driver services and products," such as a special cleaning service.
An initial fare breakdown points to the following basic formula: Pet Premier service fee (with full amount, RMB 7.6 per ride, going to the driver) + base Premier fare + special insurance and operational expenses (said to amount to RMB 2.3 per ride).
So, while riders will also abide by a series of safety and hygiene requirements, they'll allegedly also get reassurance that drivers will be pet-friendly and therefore pickup will be guaranteed.
No more cancellations for furry friends
This is all fine and dandy, but what have these riders experienced in the years prior to the upcoming launch of this novelty service? Well, we took this burning question to our very own pet-related group, Peking Pups & Other Pets. These are some of the answers we got:
From the mouths of pet owners in China
As you can see, it's a mixed bag of experiences — much in the spirit of cab-hailing in Beijing. All in all, it looks like this service could prove to be useful, particularly for those who have larger pups and pets. Time will tell, though if you ask Customer Service, they won't want to spill the kibble on the specific time just yet.
Something to look forward to?
Until then…show up to your pick-up point with a smile and a little faith, remind your four-legged friend to stay on their best behavior throughout the ride and, short of any other options, follow the advice of fellow pet owners above for alternatives. May your ride be smooth! Woof, woof!
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Images: Pixabay, Peking Pups & Other Pets, DiDi
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