Taxi apps benefit from odd-even car ban

A restriction on cars managed by odd-even numbers in Beijing has benefitted car-hailing apps, such as Uber and Didi-Kuaidi, but customers are not impressed.

After traffic regulators predicted that the ban would result in a 35 to 50 percent reduction in public vehicles on the road, Uber and Didi-Kuaidi quickly introduced new measures to meet the transportation shortfall.

On Thursday, Uber unveiled a pilot car pooling service that would allow a car to pick up more than one passenger at different places. Previously, Uber had not allowed ride sharing in Beijing.

Didi-Kuaidi also announced a new pricing system for drivers to make it easier for customers to hail a car.

The new fare systems used by Uber and Didi-Kuaidi, however, are not popular with all customers, as rides from certain neighborhoods now cost up to four times the normal fare.

Uber said on its website that its prices increase when drivers are scarce and demand is high.

The odd-even car ban, from Aug. 20 and Sept. 3, has been rolled out to reduce car-generated pollution and ensure better air quality for the military parade and the IAAF track and field World Championships. Anyone flouting the ban will be fined, according to the regulation.