Shanghai prepares Expo taxi drivers

To provide a warm welcome to visitors to the world expo, Shanghai has set up a taxi reservation system and started training drivers in customer service.

Details are frequently emphasized in the training. Help passengers with their luggage, close the door. As well as these basic matters the drivers even have a strict procedure for getting in the vehicle.

"Once passengers are inside the taxi, we should walk to our drivers seats across the front, to ensure passengers can always see us."

It's a way of increasing the visitors' sense of security.

In order to enroll more drivers and ensure a safer driving experience and better service the project organizers have also created a translation service to overcome language barriers .

Jiang Huakang, Vice President of Haibo Taxi, Ltd., said, "If drivers have difficulty communicating with foreign passengers, they can call 962288 and let the translation platform do the contact."

The customer service courses will last a month. With new cars ready by February, drivers will then be ready move on to their on-the-road training.