Nothing Can Stop Beijing’s Black Cab Explosion

Clemence Jiang | Aug 24, 2013 3:00 pm | 2 comments | 4489 reads

“Black taxis” (黑车) picking up passengers on Beijing streets are a familiar sight in the capital, but the side businesses that these private vehicles are engaging in have started to attract more attention. Recently it’s been reported that many major licensed travel agencies, including CITS (China International Travel Service), have reportedly had to cancel their one-day tours of Beijing due to increasing competition from unlicensed operators with private vehicles.

Back in 2007 the Beijing’s tourism administration vowed to crackdown on unlicensed tour operators in the run-up the 2008 Olympic Games, but since then things have turned out quite the opposite.

The demand for gray industry in the capital is considerable – a quick browse through the ads on The Beijinger website reveals a host of private cars offering one-day Beijing tour (and those are just some of the English-speaking ones). A few of the black taxi drivers we have spoken with say that they make more money doing private tours than merely shuttling passengers over short distances, which they now only tend to do on days when they have no pre-arranged tour work.

Demand is so great that private cars can charge as much as RMB 500 for a day-trip to the Great Wall – far greater than the RMB 100 that official tour agencies like the state-owned Beijing Hub of Tour Dispatch charges.

Diminishing marketshare aside, Beijing’s tourism authorities are concerned with the risk of crimes committed by black cab/tour operators against their passengers. Muggings and sexual assaults are not uncommon – and in one widely reported case a black cab-tour operator reportedly pulled a knife on his customers when they refused to buy goods from a retail shop from which he was receiving kickback commissions.

Keep reading on agendabeijing.com

Photo: Sheep"R"Us on Flickr

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Re: Nothing Can Stop Beijing’s Black Cab Explosion
Posted Aug 25, 2013 5:02pm by BumbleBeeTou

Black cabs are very necessary.

Aside from the point that the above poster made, that tour companies charging 100 per person means they have groups of 10 or 20 people, and very rarely seem to stick to any advertised itinerary, those of us who live in the suburbs often need such 'illegal' taxis because otherwise, without 24 hour public transportation as seen in other major world cities, it would be impossible to get to and from home.

When the authorities clean up and make better provision of their 'legal' services, 'black services' will no longer be requireds. But until then, I'm glad to have them around.

Re: Nothing Can Stop Beijing’s Black Cab Explosion
Posted Aug 25, 2013 11:41am by ellada3

I booked this official 100 RMB tour to the Great Wall once. First we had to wait for another tourist lost on his way for about an hour. Then instead of heading directly to the Great Wall, we were taken to a jade factory/store, to a jewelery shop and to a silk shop. When we finally reached the Badalin section of the Great Wall, the tour guide accompanying us said - you have 40 min to spend on the wall so be quick. It was my first time in BJ and first trip to the Great Wall. All i gained from this experience was disappointment and irritation. I'd never do it again myself .
IMHO this might be a good option though for short term (first time) visitors who dont speak Chinese, who are very afraid of getting lost but are desperate to see what this wall everybody knows about is. If one is looking for an experience - pleasant journey, quality time on the wall - than it's definitely not an option