Cab drivers should come clean

Taxis with distinctive white seat covers and drivers dressed in white shirts and white gloves have long been considered one of the better images the city projects in welcoming tourists from all over the world. And since this look was initiated in Shanghai in the mid-1990s, it's a practice that has spread to other cities including Beijing.

However, white-cloth seat covers have been gradually disappearing over the past year, and are being replaced by grey PVC covers.

The latest statistics show that one-fifth of Shanghai's 50,000 cabs have adopted the PVC look, a move that has been described as "environmentally-friendly" by taxi authorities.

They claim that this practice can save some 100,000 tons of water every year, and reduce pollution from washing and whitening the seat covers. This is because stains on PVC covers can be easily wiped off, meaning that they don't need to be washed with water and chemicals as frequently as cloth covers.

However, such advantages to taxi drivers and their employers could be seen as disadvantages to passengers. Obvious stains can be a reminder to taxi drivers that it is time to wash the seat covers. Even if there is no stain, I am also concerned about the bacteria on these seats that accommodate dozens of passengers every day.

Just because there is no stain doesn't mean there isn't a risk to hygiene. The authorities may want to save tons of water, but what about the health hazards this may present to passengers?

In the meantime, stainless dark-colored PVC covers merely help taxi drivers shirk their responsibilities when it comes to customer service.

Currently, local cabbies face a 200 yuan ($32) fine if their company receives a complaint about grimy seat covers. However with PVC covers, any dirt will not be visible, despite the fact that hundreds of passengers may have sat there since the seat was last cleaned.

Last August and September, nearly 300 local cabbies had their "Pioneer" badges - a stamp of approval for good service and displayed on their dashboard - taken away.

During inspections carried out by the authorities, these taxi drivers apparently failed to say "hello" and "goodbye," to customers, weren't wearing white shirts, and didn't remind passengers to collect their belongings before leaving.

However, compared to these image-oriented concerns, isn't keeping the interior of a taxi clean a far more pressing issue for passengers?

The manners of taxi drivers are certainly important, but the condition of their cars is surely more of a concern.

In just the same way that hotels change sheets when a customer leaves a room, so taxis should also change covers regularly, whether there are any visible stains or not.

And besides, the most eye-catching characteristics of Shanghai taxis are still their brilliant white covers. This is an image of the city that is worth maintaining. So if the taxi companies decided to use white PVC covers, this would probably satisfy all parties involved.