New Meters Installed in 10,000 Beijing Taxis to Prevent Scams

By Justine Lopez

Taxi scams and rigged meters might soon be a thing of the past in Beijing. Roughly 10,000 taxis in the capital have been fitted with sophisticated meters that will deter drivers from scamming customers and help verify the identity of drivers, Sixth Tone reports.

Before starting the meter, taxi drivers must first swipe their ID cards using the device. The new system also uses GPS, which enables taxi companies to monitor individual journeys in real time.

Customers can also use the new system to pay via WeChat Wallet, Alipay and bank cards.

“From the perspective of the consumer, this ensures convenience, security, and safety,” said Wang Pengfei, the general manager of Yuyang taxi company.

READ MORE: Revealed: Why Beijing's Taxi Drivers Turn Down Paying Customers

The system was first tested out on a small-scale level late last year. After a successful trial run, the devices were then tested by four taxi companies this month.

It’s no secret that taxi scams are widespread in Beijing. According to Beijing Youth Daily, rigging meters, using fake – and therefore untraceable license plates – and even creating imposter vehicles to look like legitimate taxis are all commonplace scams.

The goal of this new meter and ID verification system is to crack down on these types of scams in order to protect passengers.       

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