Thumbs down for London cabs
SHANGHAI - The iconic black hackney carriage that has been running for more than half a century on London's streets is being shunned by passengers in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, after less than six months into a pilot run.
In the past week, more than 30 of the 50 drivers of the new cab have suspended their contracts with the Hangzhou Foreign Tourism Taxi Company and handed back their vehicles because of sluggish business.
"Business has been very poor," said a driver surnamed Chen. "I feel like I've been driving an invisible car all day long, ignored by most of the passengers on the road, even if they are desperately in need of a ride.
"Many illegal taxis have made more money than mine."
Chen had expected to make a windfall from the "fancy eye-catching black cab" when he applied for it last August. Getting a taxi is like "winning a lottery" in Hangzhou, home to more than 8.7 million people but only 8,000 taxis.
The fleet of 50 purpose-built Englon TX4 taxis first hit the road during the National Para Games last September to help transport athletes with disability, and were kept in operation under the supervision of Hangzhou Foreign Tourism Taxi Co.
"It's mainly because people in Hangzhou do not know they are taxis, or assume they are more expensive taxis," said their operation manager, who gave her surname as Dong.
Featuring a similar design to the original London model, the cars boast a larger body, more spacious seating for five passengers and being more user-friendly for the disabled. But with greater fuel consumption than regular taxis to pay for, most drivers have failed to make any profit.
According to Dong, after paying fuel costs and leasing fees, the London-cab drivers earn around 70 yuan ($11) a day, while regular taxi drivers make at least 150 yuan.
But Dong said the situation had been improving over the past few months, and far from giving up on the black cabs, they may even run more.
"On one hand, we are reducing the fees required from drivers and recruiting new hands. On the other, we will invest more on promotion and advertising," she said.
But Yang Xueliang, marketing director of Geely Group, the manufacturer of the taxis, believed the reason that Englon TX4 has been given the cold shoulder in Hangzhou is because the company hasn't found the right business model.
"In Beijing and Guangzhou, cars of this kind are largely used as long-distance chartered cabs for companies," Yang told the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post.
Yang's opinion is shared by Huang Fu, a taxi driver in Hangzhou, who plans to apply to drive the Englon TX4.
After driving a taxi for more than five years, Huang said he has built up quite a large number of "high-end business clientele", who will be happy to travel in a more spacious and comfortable cab.
There are around 100 Englon TX4 taxis in China.
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