Recently, a number of taxi drivers in Qufu, Jining, called the news hotline of the Shandong Radio and Television Station Comprehensive Broadcasting 9600195, reflecting the problem of local taxi companies charging traffic information fees to taxi drivers, and some taxis that refused to pay were even forcibly stopped and restricted from operating.
The cost of equipment increased eightfold but the driver refused to pay
There are about a dozen drivers who call the column group, and they all reflect the same problem - the taxi company charges a "traffic information fee" of 960 yuan for the whole year, and stops the meter without paying the fee.
The driver told reporters that the cost was initially 1200 yuan a year, and later dropped to 960. "The car is still invested by me, even the top lights and even the advertising are invested by me, who pays for who benefits, right?" Is it appropriate for you to turn around and charge for your traffic? ”
In order to find out, the reporter recently came to Qufu City to understand the situation.
At present, there are three companies in the taxi market in Qufu City - Tongshun, Anxin and Ruyun, and the number of taxis is about 400. At the end of September this year, taxi drivers received mobile phone text messages from their companies, prompting them to "charge 960 yuan of smart device traffic fees and information fees", and mentioned that "if the smart device cannot be used normally due to personal reasons, the consequences will be borne by themselves".
Later, there were really drivers who were suspended from the table and restricted from operating because they did not pay the fee.
(Photo: Meter of Qufu Taxi stopped because it did not pay the traffic fee)
Driver 1: I don't pay the traffic fee, he stopped my meter, mandatory stop.
Driver 2: Some paid and some did not pay, anyway, I did not pay, did not pay the (company) will stop the watch, pay the money and open for me.
Driver 3: Stopped and has not been handed over, it feels too expensive.
If you do not pay the fee, you will face the risk of being "stopped", most drivers are forced by the pressure of livelihood, and will eventually choose to pay, but their hearts are still not happy. "It's been a week, I've paid the money and opened it to me, without any receipts or invoices." The driver, Mr. Zhang, said.
In order to find out the origin of the 960 yuan "smart device traffic fee and information fee", the reporter came to Qufu Tongshun Taxi Co., Ltd. The personnel said that this fee was collected by the company, mainly including taxi face brushing, positioning, surveillance and video systems.
Tongshun company staff: "960 yuan includes the set in the car: face brushing, positioning, monitoring, video, and 80 traffic fees a month, all of which are charged annually." This is the contract signed by Youyang Company and the company, and the company collects it on behalf of the company. ”
The company mentioned by the staff is Qufu Youyang Transportation Technology Co., Ltd., and mr. Bi, a staff member of the company, told reporters that they entered the taxi market through the procurement of the Qufu municipal government, and were responsible for all the taxi supervision platforms and roof lightbox advertising operations in Qufu City. The 960 yuan charged by the taxi company is strictly a "regulatory platform service fee."
Mr. Bi: The traffic service of the taxi supervision platform is all done by us, and the company supervises the taxi.
Reporter: Is it mainly for drivers or for companies?
Mr. Bi: The company uses ah.
Reporter: Shouldn't that be the company's money?
Mr. Bi: Because the Ministry of Transport has regulations, as long as it is operated, it must be online.
Reporter: Is this money necessarily out of the taxi driver?
Mr. Bi: Anyway, we signed a contract with the company, that's your business, we are just a third party, anyway, the last 960 money is handed over to our company, because we can't give him free service.
When asked by the reporter whether these services and fees are necessary, Mr. Bi said that according to the relevant regulations of the state, taxis must install a positioning system to get on the road, but as for the service of brushing face, monitoring, video and so on, it is encouraged by the state rather than a mandatory requirement, but the system is a whole, once there is a arrears, all functions including positioning cannot be used, so it may lead to taxis being restricted from operating.
Mr. Bi: If you stop our system, you can't use anything.
Reporter: Because we have to pay money, since the state only requires positioning, why add other unnecessary functions to increase the cost?
Mr. Bi: To protect the driver, to protect the passengers.
The reporter then learned from the taxi driver that the vehicle positioning system they have been in the past few years, only need to pay 10 yuan per month, after this vehicle update, added a new intelligent supervision system, increased the face brushing, video surveillance and other functions, the monthly cost increased by eight times, not to mention, it is not practical to use. Some drivers say "it's useless," while others think it's "a tool to brush your face every day." ”
Rental company: uneasy smart device The traffic bureau does not give indicators
Transportation Bureau: No business issues involved
With the monthly cost up eightfold and the equipment installed still not being used, it's no wonder drivers aren't paying aggressively.
Regarding the issue of taxi charges, the comprehensive broadcast reporter of Shandong Radio and Television Station also inquired about the relevant documents of the state.
As early as 2006, the Ministry of Finance and the National Development and Reform Commission issued the "Notice on Further Cleaning Up and Rectifying The Charges Involving Taxis", which mentioned that the operating service charges involving taxis must be prohibited from compulsory service and compulsory charges in accordance with the principle of voluntariness, and the insurance premiums, mileage recorders, GPS equipment and other expenses paid by taxi drivers should be cleaned up and regulated.
Since the state has clearly stipulated that compulsory services are not allowed to be forced to charge, is there any basis for the 960 yuan fee charged by the three taxi companies in Qufu City? At present, there is a dispute between taxi drivers and companies over payment, whether the local transportation authorities are aware of it and how to supervise it?
From the end of September this year to receive payment information one after another, to stop the meter without payment, the taxi driver repeatedly negotiated with the company without results, so the matter was reflected to the Taxi Management Section of the Qufu Transportation Bureau, and the person in charge, Xun Jinbiao, replied: Everything is implemented according to the contract.
Xun Jinbiao: Didn't you all sign a contract? The company also looked for me, the driver also looked for me, you look at the contract, how to make the contract at that time.
Driver: Doesn't the Traffic Bureau manage this?
Xun Jinbiao: This money is not paid by the Transportation Bureau, this fee must be negotiated with the operator, and the transportation department is not involved in business issues.
The transportation department made it clear that the fee was not paid by the transportation bureau, and the taxi company had to be found, but when the drivers found the company, they were told that the equipment and fees were collected by the transportation department!
The person in charge of a taxi company in Qufu City: "At that time, the new car, the intelligent equipment, and the traffic were forced by the traffic bureau to the company, if the company agreed to this requirement, the taxi indicators were put to the company, so the company signed a contract with each driver, and all the terms on the company contract reflected the will of the traffic bureau, and all the terms in the company contract were the requirements of the traffic bureau for taxis." ”
At the same time, the reporter inspected the current "Regulations on the Administration of Cruise Taxi Operation Services", of which Articles 33 and 34 stipulate: Cruise taxi operators shall protect the legitimate rights and interests of drivers in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations, standardize the labor contracts or operating contracts signed with drivers; reasonably determine the contracting and management costs, and must not pass on investment and business risks to drivers.
At the same time, it is also clear that the competent departments of transportation at the municipal level, districted cities or county levels, or other competent taxi administrative departments designated by the people's governments of the municipality directly under the central government, or other competent taxi administrative departments designated by the people's governments, shall be responsible for the specific implementation of cruise taxi management. In other words, the transportation department should indeed not be "involved" in the taxi operation, but the regulatory responsibility cannot be missing!
When the reporter then found the "Taxi Operation and Management Contract" signed by three taxi companies in Qufu City and the driver, he found that in addition to the management service fee of 200 yuan per month, there was no specific content of the 960 yuan charge, but it was mentioned in general: "According to the requirements of the transportation authorities, taxis must uniformly install intelligent equipment and LED top lights, unified management, and the traffic fees, maintenance fees and service fees generated by smart devices are borne by Party B (taxi driver)."
(Photo: Part of the terms of the operation and management contract signed between Qufu Tongshun Taxi Company and the driver)
At the same time, many taxi drivers also told reporters that when the contract was signed, they did not have enough voice and initiative as drivers. At the same time, drivers told reporters that in the 11 counties and municipalities of Jining City, only taxis in Qufu charge an additional "smart device traffic information fee", which is another reason why they refuse to pay.
Jining taxi driver: Jining taxis also have positioning, have a key alarm, no charge.
Jiaxiang taxi driver: We don't have a face brush video, there is positioning, no need to pay ah.
Yanzhou taxi driver: There is no other fee except for the management fee, and there is no charge for positioning.