Taxies can usually seat four persons. Nowadays, residents in Shanghai, the largest city in China, can ride in “seven-person taxies” for business use.

The Shanghai-based Volkswagen Taxi Company first introduced “seven-person taxies” in May last year, with the use of Delca business light cars.

Besides a driver, this kind of taxies can carry seven passengers as well as a lot of luggage. Furthermore, the fare is the same as that of an ordinary taxicab. Therefore, these taxies are becoming increasingly popular among local residents and overseas visitors.

Now the Volkswagen Taxi Company receives every day thousands of calls for “seven-person taxi” reservations. The company plans to put an extra 200 taxies of this kind into the market before the National Day, which falls on October 1.

(Xinhua 09/04/2001)