Ride-Hailing Platforms Focus on Refined Operations

In recent years, the ride-hailing industry has become a crucial part of urban transportation and a primary means of travel for the public. According to the monitoring data from the ride-hailing regulatory information exchange system, as of May 31, 2025, there are 385 licensed ride-hailing platforms in China, an increase of three from the previous month. The system recorded 770 million orders in May, reflecting a 5.9% month-on-month growth. However, with the rapid development of the industry, issues regarding driver rights protection and service rules have become increasingly prominent, leading to growing concerns between drivers and passengers. Recently, a public review meeting focusing on the 'car wash fee' and 'intercity return fee' was held in Zhongshan, Guangdong. Zhu Zetao, a Didi ride-hailing driver and head of the supply development platform, mentioned that over 100 questions were raised during last year's Didi open day driver consultation meeting in Chengdu, with over 30% of them already optimized for improvement, such as allowing drivers to access multiple cash-out channels and enabling immediate cash-outs. A pilot program was also launched to compensate drivers during off-peak seasons. The event highlighted the longstanding issues of 'car wash fees' and 'return fees for intercity orders', with driver representatives sharing collected cases and suggestions. Drivers revealed the complexity of disputes over car wash fees, citing frequent incidents of liquid spills and vomit, which vary in cleaning costs due to material, contamination levels, and regional differences, making it difficult to establish a uniform standard. In discussions about return fees, a driver shared that a one-way highway fee from Shenzhen to Zhongshan is 88 yuan, and if returning empty, they bear the cost, but the rules limit negotiation for return fees, leading to a high complaint rate of 40% from passengers. Experts at the event emphasized that understanding the impact of passengers' actions, such as causing damage after drinking, can help both drivers and passengers recognize the need for clearer problem-solving. Attendees then voted on typical cases, engaged in group discussions, and consolidated demands to provide optimization suggestions. Platform representatives shared measures related to these issues and recorded various suggestions, pledging to refine service mechanisms based on discussion outcomes. They revealed that pilot cities for car wash fees have improved dispute resolution time by 50% through an 'online tiered pricing (30-200 yuan) + real-time evidence upload' mechanism, although nationwide promotion faces challenges due to complexity. Regarding return fees, the feasibility of 'estimated fee disclosure + online negotiation' has been validated for the Shenzhen to Zhongshan route, with plans to expand to high-frequency intercity areas such as the Yangtze River Delta and Chengdu-Chongqing regions. Experts from the China Transportation Association's ride-hailing branch stated that this open day reflects the necessity for platforms to transition from 'scale expansion' to 'refined operations', with transparency in rules, online processes, and institutional rights becoming the core directions for future industry governance.