How A Ride-Hailing Driver Comes To Dominate The World? [EN]: Chapter 527

The Regret I Promised You_What’s Wrong with a Little Money for a Ride-Hailing Driver Like Me? (1)

Yang Chen had anticipated that the uncle would try to argue, so he had prepared the videos and recordings in advance.

“Here are the videos and recordings from my car’s camera, audio recorder, and dashcam. Everyone, please watch and listen, and then we can continue talking,” Yang Chen said, signaling Chen Qingxia to play the evidence.

Seeing his own arrogant and unreasonable behavior displayed on the screen, the uncle lowered his head in shame.

Li Changqi chuckled, “This isn’t a taxi driver; he’s clearly a robber! Even robbers aren’t this brazen. In broad daylight, in front of everyone, even robbers wouldn’t be so blatant. People always talk about how impressive taxi drivers are, but I’ve never seen it myself. Today, I’ve finally seen it. No wonder he spent 800,000 [yuan, Chinese currency] to buy the license; he’s really extravagant. It’s good that you dare to act and own up to it. If you do something and don’t dare to admit it, what kind of man are you? You even try to smear us with your dirty water, dirtying your own black heart!”

Li Tao, the chairman of Wenhan Taxi Company, looked embarrassed and glared at the uncle.

The uncle, knowing he was in the wrong, lowered his head and didn’t dare to speak, let alone meet the gazes of others.

Yang Chen: “Gentlemen, you don’t need to look like that. I’m not here today to resolve the last group fight incident.”

Chen Xun, the head of the transportation management department, asked, “If you’re not here to resolve the group fight incident, then what are you here for?”

Yang Chen: “I think everyone knows about the common problems in the taxi industry. They won’t go far, they won’t take you nearby, they don’t want to go to remote areas, they don’t use the meter at night or when they encounter out-of-towners, and some are no different from gangsters, using threats and intimidation against passengers and other drivers. This phenomenon has persisted for so many years. I think the fundamental reason why the taxi industry is so unscrupulous is that taxi drivers lack a regulatory unit like ride-hailing platforms. If taxi drivers could receive passenger ratings after each ride and be rewarded or punished based on those ratings, they would definitely improve their service quality. My purpose today is to have the taxi industry adopt a driver evaluation system based on ride-hailing standards and reward or punish drivers based on their overall scores.”

The taxi drivers at the scene immediately erupted in protest.

“Are you kidding me? We spent 800,000 to buy our licenses, and now we have to be rated like ride-hailing drivers? What’s the point of spending that 800,000 then?”

“That’s right! If taxis also have an evaluation system, then we won’t drive taxis anymore. We’ll all go drive for ride-hailing services. We can just buy a car for around 100,000 yuan. Who would want to spend that 800,000?”

“We already spent 800,000 to buy our licenses, and now we have to be as humble as ride-hailing drivers and be controlled by passengers? The sun hasn’t even set yet; how can you be dreaming already?”

“Who do you think you are? Just opening your mouth and saying whatever. Even if you want to do it, our taxi companies don’t want to do it.”

……

As expected, spending money makes you different. They feel that their status is higher than ride-hailing drivers, who are also drivers. This is the confidence they have to refuse passengers at will.

If a ride-hailing driver refuses a ride after the platform assigns it, they can forget about getting any more rides.

Taxi drivers lack this kind of constraint, so they pick and choose their passengers.

Some experienced drivers know which areas have more passengers and are more cost-effective to drive in. They won’t pick up passengers outside of those areas.

Yang Chen said with a smile, “Your words just prove the necessity of the taxi evaluation system that I just mentioned. Director Chen, what do you think?”

Chen Xun, the head of the transportation management department, said with a smile, “I understand what you mean, and of course I also want to better regulate the taxi industry. But as they said, they have already spent 800,000 to buy their licenses. If we give them all kinds of restrictions, what’s the point of them spending that 800,000? Wouldn’t it be better to spend 100,000 yuan to buy a car and drive for a ride-hailing service?”

Li Tao, the chairman of Wenhan Taxi Company: “Director Chen is absolutely right. Since we have collected the license fees, we must give the drivers a higher level of experience.”

Zheng Wei, the chairman of Haiyun Taxi Company: “This issue has been raised before, but it was rejected by our companies. What level are you at? How dare you propose such a motion? The matter of you calling people to start a group fight hasn’t been resolved yet. What are you pretending for?”

Yang Chen: “My name is Yang Chen. They all call me Mr. Yang, General Yang, Brother Chen. You can choose whichever you like. I am the second largest shareholder of DiDi [a Chinese ride-hailing company] and the honorary chairman of the DiDi Drivers’ Union. Of course, I have to offer suggestions for the future development of the Haicheng urban passenger transport industry. After all, my Star Defense, Star Technology, Star Investment, Star Entertainment, Star Healthcare, and other companies have tens of thousands of employees in Haicheng alone. It’s inevitable that they will need to take taxis when they travel, and if they encounter your kind of service quality, it will affect their work quality, and I will suffer a great loss.”

Chen Qingxia, who was next to him, couldn’t help but laugh. This guy was starting to show off, revealing all his secrets at once.

Strictly speaking, this can’t be called showing off. He’s just stating his identity as it is. How can this be called showing off?

The representatives from the Transportation Bureau and the taxi companies all looked at Yang Chen in surprise, as if they were looking at an alien.

Chen Xun from the Transportation Bureau quickly got up and came to Yang Chen, excitedly shaking Yang Chen’s right hand with both hands, and said, “You are General Yang! I have long admired your name; it is like thunder piercing my ears. It is truly a great honor to sit in the same room with you today.”

Yang Chen nodded with a smile and said, “Director Chen is too polite. Let’s go back and sit down. It’s important that we openly and honestly resolve the matter today.”

Chen Xun: “Yes, yes, yes, General Yang is right. After thinking about it carefully, General Yang’s suggestion to launch an evaluation system for taxi drivers is very feasible and very necessary.”

All the representatives of the taxi drivers looked at Chen Xun sideways. *Can you not change your face so quickly?*

Chen Xun noticed the gazes of the taxi driver representatives, but he didn’t care and continued, “The problems that General Yang mentioned, such as refusing passengers, have indeed existed for a long time. It’s time to find a way to solve them. Four chairmen of the taxi companies, what do you think?”

Li Tao, the chairman of Wenhan Taxi Company, did not reply, but got up and shook hands with Yang Chen to say hello.

Seeing Li Tao get up and walk towards Yang Chen, the other three taxi company chairmen quickly got up and followed.

Li Tao: “Hello, General Yang, nice to meet you, nice to meet you. I am Li Tao, the chairman of Haicheng Wenhan Taxi Company.”

Yang Chen: “Hello, Chairman Li.”

Zheng Wei, the chairman of Haiyun Taxi Company: “Hello, General Yang, I am Zheng Wei, the chairman of Haiyun Taxi Company. I am very happy to be able to negotiate with you at the same table. This will be an unforgettable negotiation for me in my life. Haha…”

Yang Chen: “Hello, Chairman Zheng. I hope that I, this big-tailed wolf [a person who boasts or exaggerates], can put on a good show in front of you.”

Zheng Wei: “Oh, General Yang, don’t make fun of me. I didn’t know it was you; otherwise, how would I dare to say such a thing? My mistake, my mistake, I apologize to General Yang.”

The taxi drivers were all dumbfounded. The situation was a bit unfavorable to them. The bosses were so afraid; could they still protect them?

Yang Chen replied with a smile, “Chairman Zheng, you are too serious. There is no right or wrong today, only negotiation. I said just now that I came here today to make the Haicheng urban passenger transport industry more standardized, have better development, and for the people of Haicheng to have a better travel experience. Gentlemen, please imagine, what would you feel if you were in a hurry to take a taxi and the driver refused because they thought your destination was too remote? What would you feel if you had something urgent to do at night, or if you were a tourist from out of town, and the driver took the opportunity to not use the meter and charge a high price? My idea is just one: to make taxi drivers and ride-hailing drivers subject to supervision and constraints. Director Chen, and all the bosses, and driver comrades, what do you think?”

Chen Xu immediately stated, “Of course, I support General Yang’s idea. It’s a great thing for our Haicheng passenger transport industry and the citizens of Haicheng, as well as tourists coming to Haicheng. Gentlemen, what do you mean?”

The four taxi company chairmen looked at each other, and no one dared to be the first to express their position.

The taxi drivers couldn’t help but express their opinions first.

“General Yang, I’m sorry for being instigated by Lao Zhang to fight with you before. I apologize to you here. After listening to your ideas, I understand that you want to make things better for both drivers and passengers. But if we taxi drivers are also subject to passenger constraints like ride-hailing drivers, then what is the point of the 800,000 license fee we paid?”

“I admit that the problems General Yang mentioned do exist, and I often do the same myself. But this is the meaning of our spending 800,000: to be able to pick up orders according to our own ideas, instead of picking up any passenger. Many passengers just have problems with their brains. If we have to endure such passengers after spending so much money, then I don’t want to be a taxi driver anymore anyway.”

“Either we pay the money and let us enjoy certain privileges, or return the money to us and we accept passenger ratings. It can’t be that we have to pay the money and be subject to passenger constraints like ride-hailing drivers. This is too unfair to us.”

……

Yang Chen signaled everyone to be quiet and said, “I can understand everyone’s ideas, but you can’t ignore an important fact. Ride-hailing services rely on the system to dispatch orders, and many drivers can’t get a few orders a day. But you taxis can go to airports, stations, and other places to queue up and wait for passengers to get in the car. You can also pick up orders anywhere you want. Driving a taxi may not make you rich, but it can guarantee a basic life. However, driving a full-time ride-hailing service is not necessarily the case, and you may starve to death. The license fee you pay guarantees the lower limit of your income, but ride-hailing drivers have no lower limit to speak of. If you really let you drive for ride-hailing services, do you think your ratings will get you any orders?”

The drivers were silent.

Director Chen asked with a smile, “Then how does General Yang think we can make good use of the rating mechanism?”

Yang Chen: “On the ride-hailing side, orders are dispatched according to ratings, etc. Drivers with good ratings get more orders, and drivers who don’t perform well may not get a few orders a day. We certainly can’t dispatch orders on the taxi side; otherwise, if I were a taxi driver, I wouldn’t want to pay the money. However, we can give rewards and punishments based on ratings. For example, if the overall score is lower than a certain value each month, we will fine or reduce benefits. However, this rating system must be handed over to the government department for management, not to the taxi company. The government department uses government credibility to ensure the fair operation of the system, and there will be no deliberate reduction of scores in order to reduce driver benefits or fines. If you are fined 500 yuan this month because of unqualified service scores, will you consciously improve the quality of service next month? Based on my years of experience driving for ride-hailing services, there are indeed some strange passengers. Therefore, we can’t only restrain drivers, but also have certain restraints on passengers. If a passenger deliberately makes trouble unreasonably, he will be blacklisted after a maximum of three chances, and he will be prohibited from taking public transportation in Haicheng for the rest of the year. After 365 days, it will be automatically unblocked and his eligibility will be restored. As long as the behavior of drivers and passengers is restrained, this industry will develop harmoniously.”

Director Chen: “I understand what you mean. I think it’s feasible! Gentlemen, what do you mean?”

If this method is followed, the taxi company will not suffer any losses and will definitely have an extra ‘fine’ every month. They will definitely be willing.

Li Tao, the chairman of Wenhan Taxi Company, quickly stated, “I think it’s feasible; we can give it a try.”

Zheng Wei, the chairman of Haiyun Taxi Company: “I also think it’s feasible. The key depends on the government department’s intention: whether they are willing to do it and whether they can do such a rating system.”

Director Chen: “To be honest, building such a platform and system, and connecting to the databases of taxis and ride-hailing services, will definitely cost a lot of money. If someone else proposes it, it is likely that it will not be approved. But it’s different when General Yang proposes it. I think it should be approved.”

Yang Chen: “Then that’s settled. I hope Director Chen will go back and report to the municipal government, and I will wait for your good news.”

Director Chen: “Haha… Okay, I will go back and report later. Then, is the matter of your fighting and fighting resolved now?”

Yang Chen: “Although the responsibility lies with the taxi drivers, we didn’t suffer any losses, so let’s forget about it. Gentlemen, and driver friends, what do you think?”

Li Changqi, the CEO of DiDi, was the first to express his position, saying, “I will report to the headquarters as soon as possible and do my best to cooperate with the government department to intervene in our database. In addition, we will also more standardly guide platform drivers to provide better services to passengers.”

In fact, his opinion is not important; the main thing is to see what the four taxi company bosses mean.

“Our Wenhan Taxi Company will definitely actively cooperate.”

“Our Haiyun is the same. For the healthy development of Haicheng’s passenger transport industry, we will of course actively support and cooperate.”

“I have no objection either. Changsheng Taxi Company will also actively cooperate.”

“Yuanchang Taxi Company has no objection either.”

Yang Chen was very satisfied with the statements of the four bosses and said, “Okay! Thank you for your cooperation. I will actively communicate with the municipal government in the future. As long as the government agrees, I can pay for a platform to connect to the databases of taxis and ride-hailing services, but the management rights will be handed over to the municipal government.”

In fact, Yang Chen just wanted to take this opportunity to find some experience, and then he could imitate the hospital platform and data.

Even if there are chaotic situations in the passenger transport industry, it will not really affect everyone.

But hospitals are absolutely and truly related to the interests of everyone. No matter who you are, you have to go to the hospital many times in your life.

The problems of difficulty in seeing a doctor and the high cost of seeing a doctor are bothering every ordinary person, and what Yang Chen wants to solve are these problems.

This time, let’s first look at the reaction of the municipal government and the people of the whole country, and then he can formulate a plan to change the hospital.

As soon as he heard that Yang Chen was going to pay for the platform and system, Director Chen immediately said happily, “General Yang is truly noble and upright. It can be seen that General Yang really wants to change the urban passenger transport industry. I will definitely try my best to persuade the leaders to agree with General Yang’s idea.”

Yang Chen: “Haha… Okay! Then I’ll trouble Director Chen. That’s all for now; I have to go drive, goodbye everyone.”

Everyone quickly stood up and saw Yang Chen off together.

Afterwards, Chen Qingxia called the representatives of taxis and ride-hailing services together again and signed a settlement agreement.

The taxi drivers gathered together to exchange their opinions and ideas.

“Damn it! I don’t want to do this anymore. Can anyone introduce me to sell my license? I don’t want much; I bought it for 800,000, and I’ll sell it for 800,000.”

“I don’t want to do it anymore either. I’m on the same level as ride-hailing drivers. Who would want to spend so much money to be a taxi driver?”

“I think your reaction is a bit too extreme. As long as the service is in place, it won’t affect us at all. If you have to be like Lao Zhang, not use the meter and ask for prices randomly, and even threaten people, isn’t it your fault if you get fined? Sometimes it’s not wrong for our industry to be scolded; there are indeed some bad apples doing bad things. When this platform and system are up and running, our industry will get better and better. I believe there are still many people who like to stop a taxi at random, rather than waiting on the street for a ride-hailing service to pick them up.”

“I agree with Lao Chen’s view. As long as our reputation improves, ride-hailing services can’t be our opponents at all. We are the regular army; they are just temporarily recruited puppet troops. I am full of expectations for the future, and I feel that the era of earning tens of thousands a month is coming back.”

……

From their discussions, it can be seen that some drivers with unhealthy attitudes cannot accept this mechanism, but those who are honest and law-abiding think it is a good thing and will reverse everyone’s reputation for taxis.

On the other hand, the ride-hailing drivers were very happy.

“Haha… They spent 800,000 to buy their licenses, and they are about to be the same as us.”

“Brother Chen is still awesome; he also put an evaluation system on taxi drivers. They won’t dare to look down on us in the future.”

“I’ll laugh at taxi drivers once every time I see them in the future; they’re just big fools. Brother Chen is awesome; he is definitely the glory of our ride-hailing drivers.”

……

These people thought that the platform and system that Yang Chen was going to build would only restrain taxi drivers. They ignored the fact that the data of the ride-hailing platform would also be connected. They would be subject to the supervision of both the platform and the government in the future. If their service quality does not improve, the consequences will be more serious than those of taxi drivers.

Yang Chen is not trying to suppress one side, nor is he trying to protect one side. He just wants to make this industry more standardized, so that drivers can work with peace of mind and passengers can travel with peace of mind.

Chen Xun returned to the Transportation Bureau and immediately wrote an “Application for the Establishment of a Haicheng Taxi and Ride-Hailing Rating System,” detailing Yang Chen’s ideas, and then sent it to Mayor Chen and other relevant leaders.

At ten o’clock in the evening, Mayor Chen took the lead in replying to the message.

“Director Chen, this idea is very good. Our Haicheng, as an international metropolis, must have the courage to be the first in the world. Let’s pilot it in Haicheng first to see the effect. If the effect is good, it can be implemented nationwide. In this way, tomorrow I will call the heads of relevant departments to come to a meeting to talk about it. Let’s talk about it at the meeting. You prepare the materials, and you will preside over the meeting tomorrow to explain the details of this plan to everyone.”

Chen Xun quickly replied: Okay, Mayor Chen, I will definitely be prepared.

With the support of Mayor Chen, this matter is basically stable.

As for the opinions of the car company and the ride-hailing platform, you can consider it, or you can not consider it. After all, the regulatory department has the right to formulate some regulatory measures without seeking their consent.

It’s just that it is not known whether this plan can be successfully implemented. Taxi drivers are likely to have some resistance, and it depends on whether they can resist successfully, or whether the regulatory department is more determined.

At this time, Yang Chen was on his way to Tomson Riviera [a luxury residential complex].

Qiu Yuhong called.

Qiu Yuhong: “General Yang, Qin Huang brought Qin Lang to the group. They want to talk to you in person. Then the person sent by the leader has also got off the plane and will send the Bicao Shuang [likely a valuable item or medicine] directly over later.”

Yang Chen: “I’m heading this way; I’ll make a turn over there later.”

More than half an hour later, Yang Chen arrived at the headquarters of Star Defense.

Qiu Yuhong was waiting at the door with the Qin family and his son. Seeing Yang Chen coming, the three of them quickly stepped forward to greet him.

Qiu Yuhong: “General Yang, good evening. This is Mr. Qin Huang, the chairman of the Qin Group. You have met his son, Qin Lang.”

Qin Huang: “Hello, General Yang, I have long admired your name; it is like thunder piercing my ears. I am very happy to be able to see General Yang today.”

Yang Chen didn’t drive the car in either. He would solve the matter here and go directly to find Wang Qianni.

Yang Chen got out of the car, shook hands with Qin Huang with a smile, and said, “Chairman Qin is too polite. If your son was as sensible as you, we wouldn’t have to meet here now.”

Qin Huang: “Hehehe… I’m ashamed, I’m ashamed; it’s my fault for not educating my child well, General Yang, please forgive me. A Lang, why don’t you quickly apologize to General Yang?”

Qin Lang had no physical language; he just said dryly: “General Yang, I’m sorry; don’t take offense.”

The smile on Yang Chen’s face disappeared immediately, and then he said to Qiu Yuhong: “Didn’t you tell them how to apologize?”

Qiu Yuhong: “I said it. Chairman Qin, your apology is not sincere.”

Qin Huang: “General Yang, you see my son is older than you; it would be too much to ask him to kneel down and apologize to you, right? If General Yang feels that it is not enough to relieve his hatred, I can pay compensation. Is that okay?”

Yang Chen: “Money? Hehe… I know that Chairman Qin doesn’t have much else, just a lot of cash. However, I don’t lack money to spend now; I just want face. Your son wanted to poach my corner [steal my woman] in front of me; I have already reminded him to take away the business card. I can pretend that nothing happened. But he didn’t listen, so I also warned him that I would definitely make him kneel down and apologize. I have already said what I said; there is no reason to not keep my word. Now I will say it again in front of Chairman Qin: if Qin Lang does not kneel down and apologize, I will destroy the Qin family.”

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Qin Lang seemed to be still unconvinced and said: “General Yang, my father and I came to apologize in person late at night, which is sincere enough. You should be forgiving and forgiving; do you have to be so ruthless?”

Yang Chen: “Qin Lang, it’s meaningless for you to say that. Did I warn you to take back the business card, otherwise I would make you regret it? Now you say that I am ruthless, then when you harassed my girlfriend in front of me, didn’t you think you were ruthless? You seriously trampled on my dignity as a man.”

Qin Lang wanted to say something but stopped; maybe he didn’t know what to say.

At this time, a commercial vehicle with the words “Star Defense” printed on it drove over.

Then, a man in a suit and leather shoes came down with a box.

The man recognized Yang Chen at a glance and quickly walked over with a smile.

“Hello, General Yang, I have long admired your name, and I finally met you today. I am Wang Wenshun, the leader’s secretary. The thing you want is in this box, and the leader also sent some small gifts to you by the way.”

Yang Chen quickly took the box and said with a smile: “Thank you, Secretary Wang. Please tell the leader for me, I am very grateful for his help.”

Wang Wenshun: “Haha… No problem, I will convey your greetings to the leader. Isn’t this Chairman Qin? Do you also have cooperation with General Yang?”

When Qin Huang saw the G emblem printed on the box, he immediately understood that this person was not simple.

Although he had never met him, it was right to be polite.

“Hello, Secretary Wang, do you know me?” Qin Huang asked with a smile while shaking hands.

Wang Wenshun: “Didn’t you two get punished some time ago? I saw your illegal report on the leader’s desk.”

The Qin family and his son were immediately panicked, and Qin Lang’s legs trembled even more.

In this way, the two of them have entered the leader’s sight and may be uprooted at any time.

Yang Chen said with a smile: “I didn’t expect Chairman Qin and Young Master Qin to be quite capable, and they have already entered the leader’s sight. What bad things did you two do? Tell me about it.”

The Qin family and his son looked embarrassed and scared and did not dare to speak.

Wang Wenshu asked with a smile: “General Yang, do you also have cooperation with them?”

Yang Chen: “Young Master Qin entangled my girlfriend in front of me; I have to ask them for an explanation.”

Wang Wenshun: “Is that so? Young Master Qin is quite capable; he dares to harass General Yang’s girlfriend, and in front of him? It seems that making some money by taking shortcuts has made you a little arrogant, and you don’t put anyone in your eyes. General Yang, do you need me to say a word for you in front of the leader?”

Yang Chen: “Is it appropriate?”

Wang Wenshun: “What’s inappropriate about this? They were already punished; I remember it seems to be insider trading and false transactions, right? What was taken out were all small problems; the big problems were not taken out.”

Yang Chen: “Oh, then Secretary Wang, please tell the leader for me: I am such an honest and law-abiding person, and I was robbed of my girlfriend by a rich second generation in person; how tragic is this? Please, the leader, must stand up for me.”

Qin Lang quickly explained: “I didn’t know his identity at the time, and he didn’t tell me that he was Yang Chen. If he had said it, I would definitely not have done that. I have already come with my father to apologize to him, but he has to kneel down and apologize; is there anyone who humiliates people like this?”

Wang Wenshun: “Young Master Qin can’t say that; you entangled his girlfriend in front of General Yang. Isn’t your behavior more humiliating? A man’s bottom line has been trampled on by you, and now you say that General Yang is humiliating you?”

Qin Lang wanted to argue, but Qin Huang immediately gritted his teeth and said, “A Lang, kneel down!”