Cruising Taxi

1. Definition and Functional Positioning

Cruising taxis refer to commercial passenger transport operations that have lawfully obtained operating licences, are permitted to cruise roads to pick up street-hail passengers or wait at designated taxi stands, feature dedicated taxi livery and identification fixtures, and provide on-demand transport using passenger vehicles with seven seats or fewer based on passenger-directed routes, with fares calculated by distance and time. Cruising taxis form an integral part of the comprehensive urban transport network and serve as a vital supplement to public transport, providing personalised mobility services for the general public.

2. Differences from E-hailing Vehicles

Comparison Dimension	Cruising Taxi	E-hailing Vehicle
Operational Appearance	Equipped with prominent identifiers such as taxi roof lights and dedicated body colours	Visually identical to standard private vehicles, with no distinct commercial markings
Passenger Pick-up Mode	Permitted to cruise for street hails, queue at taxi stands, or accept phone and online bookings	Restricted strictly to online app-based bookings; street hails and cruising are prohibited
Fare Calculation	Government-regulated or guided pricing, charged via certified on-board taximeters	Market-driven dynamic pricing calculated directly through the platform system
Fleet Capacity Regulation	Subject to total quota controls and operating rights permit management	Primarily regulated by market forces

3. Operating Rights Management System

Cruising taxi vehicle operating rights operate under aroyalty-free, tenure-limited framework, with the specific tenure determined by local municipal governments. Operating rights can be allocated viaservice quality competitive tenders, awarded based on comprehensive assessments of operational proposals and service quality commitments. Upon expiry of the validity period, renewal is determined based on the operator's service quality and compliance rating throughout the tenure.

4. Vehicle and Driver Requirements

Cruising taxis must meet the following criteria: registered under the commercial vehicle category of "taxi passenger transport", fitted with satellite positioning (GPS) and emergency alert devices, painted in designated livery, and equipped with a roof light and certified taximeter. Drivers must obtain a taxi driver vocational qualification certificate and complete statutory registration.

5. Operational Standards and Service Requirements

Cruising taxi drivers must strictly observe core operational regulations: no fare refusals, price bargaining, midway passenger drop-offs, or deliberate detours; no picking up additional passengers without consent; mandatory use of the taximeter along with issuing official receipts; and compliance with queue marshalling and dispatch management at major transport hubs such as airports and railway stations. Drivers found in violation face fines ranging from 200 yuan to 500 yuan.

6. Integration of Cruising Taxis and E-hailing

Cruising taxis can offer pre-booking services via telecommunication and internet channels, allowing them to integrate into e-hailing platforms to accept ride bookings. However, e-hailing vehicles remain strictly prohibited from cruising the streets for street hails or waiting at designated taxi stands.