Traffic authorities in Beijing are stepping up scrutiny of sub-standard taxi services and vowing severe penalties for cab drivers who refuse passengers, take indirect routes to drive up the meter (or refuse to use the meter at all), or keep dirty cabs on the road.

The complex road system of the Chinese capital city has, many visitors to the city contend, provided an excuse for drivers to take circuitous and expensive routes on the pretense of avoiding traffic jams.

But according to the Beijing Municipal Transportation Law Enforcement General Team, such drivers will be fined 1,000 to 2,000 yuan (about 143 to 286 U.S. dollars) from now on. Drivers will also be fined 200 yuan if their vehicle is dirty, especially the seats.

More than 200 traffic supervisors will carry out surprise checks once a week to stamp out such practices, and other inspectors will monitor taxis at intersections.

The effort will focus on areas surrounding dozens of Olympic-appointed hotels including the Peninsula Palace Hotel and Sunworld Dynasty Hotel in Wangfujing Street, a shopping and hotel area in downtown Beijing.

Stepped-up supervision is already in progress at several Beijing transportation hubs, including the Beijing Railway Station, Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3 and Sihui Long Distance Bus Station.

In addition, rent-a-car companies in the city will adopt a new rate schedule from July 20 to Sept. 20, reported the Beijing Times. Rates for all kinds of cars will be two to five times current levels.

The policy is said to be a result of the city's even-odd system based on license plate numbers that will keep about 50 percent of vehicles off the road on alternate days from July 20 to Sept. 20 to ease congestion and improve air quality.

The Ministry of Public Security also recently announced that large trucks would be barred from certain traffic routes in the central city. From July 1 to Sept. 20, out-of-town trucks will have to detour along National highway 112, which circles Beijing, to enter the capital, according to the decision.

Some trucks will be exempt, such as those carrying fresh farm products like vegetables and live pigs, but even these must have official certificates.

On Monday, half of the 22,800 vehicles used by all-level Party organs, governments and public institutions in Beijing were kept off the road in line with a one-month traffic restriction on government motor vehicles issued by the Beijing Municipal Government.

(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2008)