Just like many countries, China doesn’t seem to like ride-sharing apps like Uber, which is why the country has decided to tighten regulations on these apps by preventing them from using unlicensed cars and drivers. A statement released late on January 8th by the Ministry of Transport said: “Every limousine app company should abide by transport market rules, take their responsibilities seriously, and ban private cars from operating on their platform.”
China’s Ministry of Transport banned private cars from offering unlicensed taxi services via mobile-phone apps, even as it endorsed the software as having a “positive role” for licensed vehicles and chauffeurs. Car-hailing apps should differentiate their services from public transportation and taxis, according to a Jan. 8 report on the ministry’s website written by its official newspaper. It didn’t identify any of the service providers. “Banning private cars from using the apps will put passengers at ease,” the ministry said. “But apps for premium car services have an innovative service model and play a positive role in meeting the high-end and differentiated transportation market,” it said. The announcement of a nationwide policy follows municipal bans on private-car use of the hailing apps. Beijing city will crack down on unlicensed vehicles using services including that of Uber Technologies Inc., China National Radio said on Jan. 7.
