This article originally appeared on our sister website, That's Shanghai.
By Justine Lopez
A couple weeks ago, we reported that Shanghai’s taxi cab drivers had come up with the ingenious idea of selling snacks and drinks to customers – kind of like a taxi and convenience store all in one. Well, the city’s convenience store taxis didn’t last long. On Saturday, all taxis in Shanghai were barred from selling food and drinks to customers amid safety concerns, Global Times reports.
Earlier this month, roughly 100 taxis operating in Shanghai began stocking their cars with a range of snacks and drinks – like chips and water – which were available for purchase. Customers simply had to scan a QR code to purchase the items displayed on little shelves and in back seat pockets.
So creative!
The new convenience store cabs were getting all sorts of attention and many people were hailing the taxis out of sheer curiosity. The concept was gaining so much popularity, many drivers reported a boost in income of about RMB350 (USD55) per month.
READ MORE: Shanghai Sees Rapid Decline in the Number of Taxi Drivers
However, there were a few issues. Many of these taxis were operating without proper permits and licenses. In addition, there were concerns that the makeshift shelves and the fact that the goods were not properly secured could cause injuries to passengers.
For now, these convenience store cabs are a thing of the past. However, local authorities are looking into how similar businesses could operate safely and legally in the future.
[Images via Shine and the Paper]
This article was originally published by our sister magazine That's Shanghai. For more articles like this, visit the That's Shanghai website, or follow the That's Shanghai WeChat account (ID: Thats_Shanghai).
