Taxi
Taxi fares depend on the vehicle type: these start at CNY 10 for the first 3 kilometers, and go up by CNY2.00 per extra kilometer; the per-kilometer charge is based upon the make and model of the vehicle. After 10pm the base fare goes up to CNY 11. There are also Hongqi (红旗) taxis which operate at a 2.00 rate, however these are a rarity and not commonly seen. Idling time is also factored into the total fare. All legal cabs will be part golden yellow in color, and display their permits and paperwork on the dash board and windshield.
There are also many illegal cabs known as 黑车 (heiche, meaning 'Black Cabs' as in "black market" or "illegal"), which operate via a pre-negotiated fare.
Taxi-like services, including Pedicabs, are also widely used. A motorized or manual bicycle is probably the most commonly seen form, although pedicabs are still available in certain parts of the city. These quaint modes of transport also employ the pre-negotiated fare system
In 1999, the environmentally unsound "bread cars" (Minivans) (mianbao che, a.k.a. miandi) were decommissioned in a stringent manner. They used to charge CNY 1 per kilometre. Although it was sound, budget-wise, their poor environmental record and an increasing consciousness of the image of the capital were the factors that landed them in the dumpster. As of 2004, 1.20 RMB/km taxicabs are being phased out, and as of 2006 all taxi fares are 2.00 RMB per km with the same 10 RMB starting fare for 3 km rule. Hyundai Elantra is becoming the common new type of taxi, along with Volkswagen Jetta CiF.
Read more about this topic: Transport In Beijing
Famous quotes containing the word taxi:
“Pockets: What color is a giraffe?
Dallas: Well, mostly yellow.
Pockets: And what’s the color of a New York taxi cab?
Dallas: Mostly yellow.
Pockets: I drove a cab in Brooklyn. I just pretend it’s rush hour in Flatbush and in I go.”
—Leigh Brackett (1915–1978)
“I have done almost every human activity inside a taxi which does not require main drainage.”
—Alan Brien (b. 1925)