BEIJING, Aug. 3 -- The Shanghai local cabbies will receive extra subsidies from their employers and the city government starting this month to help them deal with rising gas prices. This is the second time the city has offered subsidies to taxi drivers this year in response to continuously rising gas prices. The temporary allowance will be paid by the city government and taxi companies, according to the Shanghai Taxi Administration Office. After the latest rise in subsidies , each two-shift taxi will get a monthly allowance of 550 yuan (US$68), which will be shared by two taxi drivers.That is up from the 200-yuan subsidy the city started to offer in April. Each single-shift taxi will be subsidized 462.5 yuan a month , up from the previous 150 yuan. The city government will pay 200 yuan per taxi , with taxi companies covering the rest of the subsidies. Shanghai raised retail prices of gasoline by more than 6 percent on July 23. No. 90 unleaded, low-octane gasoline, now costs 3.93 yuan a liter , up 6.2 percent. This is the most popular type of gas among the city's cabbies.No. 93 gasoline is now pegged at 4.28 yuan a liter, up 6.5 percent , the highest percentage jump of any type of fuel. "I can hardly make any money after the latest gas price rise," said Wang Yongchang , a driver with Shanghai Qiangsheng Taxi Co. "The subsidy will help relieve our burden."He said the total subsidy still can't cover all of the losses resulting from a series of gas price hikes since last year.Retail prices of the No. 90 gas have climbed 15 percent since last November. "The subsidies can only cover a part of the losses," Wang said. He said he usually uses 50 liters of gasoline a day , meaning he is spending an additional 700 yuan a month compared with last fall.The city has 100,000 cabbies driving 43,000 taxis. They pick up 3 million passengers every day. Ling Dongshu of Shanghai Dazhong Taxi Co Ltd said the subsidies will further reduce profit margins. "We companies hope there will be a rise in taxi service fees as the cost growth has become too large ," he said. "However the decision is up to the city government."Enditem(Source: Shanghai Daily news)Related Topics Articles：

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