What do fireworks, great action movies, fruit wrapped in baskets, fancy envelopes, new clothing and people getting fat have in common? You guessed it, they’re all things you see during Chinese New Year! As this year’s chunyun comes to a close, let’s take a minute and look back on some of the impressive figures that were rung up during the CNY period.

Non-stop gridlock, crowded subways and a dearth of cabs have got Beijing authorities scratching their heads for practical solutions – now comes news that salvation (or at least a partial solution) might come in the form of the “Young-Man JNP6250G.”

According to Chinatechgadget.com, the Zhejiang-manufactured bus measures 25 meters (as opposed to the standard 18-meters), has five doors, 40 seats and is capable of holding 300 passengers – making it about the size of a small commercial airliner.

It’s very much a seller’s market for taxi drivers in Beijing these days — a dearth of vehicles, epic traffic jams and the cold weather have made catching a cab a free-for-all on the streets.

The problem has reached such epic proportions that now the Ministry of Transportation has been obliged to step in. China Daily reports on new rules aimed at preventing cabbies from arbitrarily refusing to pick up passengers:

For the full story on the new taxi regulations see agendabeijing.com.

When there’s no taxis in sight or no subway stop near your destination, hopping on a bus can make any journey around Beijing a little easier. However, the Chinese-only bus signs sometimes make this option impossible for expats.

However, Chinese search engine Baidu can give you a clear bus route to get from point A to point B. You don't need the ability to read or write Chinese – just a bit of common sense.

The Chinese New Year travel period, known as Chun Yun, began this past Sunday and will last 40 days. More than three billion passenger journeys are expected to take place before the mass migration ends. In other words, prepare yourself for some transportation challenges until at least February 16. To make your holiday a little easier, here are some travel options, along with what you should know or avoid.

Animals have had a hard time of it recently. Hainan welcomes tourists, but not their dogs. Meanwhile, the cat’s out of the bag and into the soup. If that thought doesn't turn your stomach, the toxic milk, oil or peanuts will. As for this week's good news? Line 1 improvements are coming to a subway station near you.

America’s neighbors to the north have decided they’re not going to let US Ambassador Gary Locke get all the credit as the foreign do-gooder. When Canada and America aren’t getting tangled in a "model diplomat" competition, Beijing’s local transportation is generally improving and the holidays are quickly coming.

Yep, it’s that time of year again: when rowdy Santas take to the subway like scarlet blobs of lipids and white blood cells intent on clogging up the city’s transportation arteries, lubricated only by the non-milk beverages imbibed at bar stops along the way.

Life on the streets of Beijing isn’t too bad, apparently; there are just a few things you need to watch out for. If you’re not fending off fake deals or cancer, be prepared for some discrimination showing up in some unusual ways. And before you leave for a holiday vacation, there are some updates on Beijing travel.

The Global Times reports that commuting times for Beijingers averaged 43.6 minutes from 2005-2010 – 5.6 minutes more than the average time clocked back in 2005.

The statistics were based on a survey of 6,000 Beijing residents and revealed, among other things, that “women take a little longer than men” and people in their 40s spend the most time on the road.

For the full report on Beijing's commute, go to agendabeijing.com.

Has hours of gridlock and blaring horns got you stressed? Share your worst or funniest Beijing traffic jam nightmares for a chance to win a relaxing escape at Hummingbird Spa. The contest ends Monday. May the best story win.