Reducing subsidies to unfriendly taxi drivers made them more friendly (Korea)

It has been revealed that the number of complaints about taxis being unfriendly in Seoul City last year has decreased significantly compared to the previous year. According to Seoul City on the 1st, the number of complaints about taxis being unfriendly last year was 2
The total number of complaints was 581, down 15.4% from 2023 (3,050). The proportion of complaints about unfriendliness also decreased from 26.5% in 2023 to 22.6% in 2024.
Until now, the autonomous region has imposed fines (100,000 won (about 10,160 yen)) on workers who violate the rules of kindness, but it is difficult to prove unkind words or behavior, and the penalty rate is only 2%.
In response, Seoul City announced the 2023 Taxi Service Improvement Measures and will be the first in the nation to impose penalties on unfriendly complaints through the Taxi Transportation Business Improvement Order.
The city of Seoul believes that the reduction in unfriendly behavior by taxi drivers is due to the success of complaint management by taxi transport workers and businesses. There were three cases among transport workers and more than 10 cases among taxi businesses.
If complaints about unfriendliness accumulate and are ultimately determined to be unfriendly, the person will be subject to adverse disciplinary action. From February 2023 to the end of last year, 12 transportation workers and three taxi companies were disciplined.
Prior to taking any adverse action, the city of Seoul will issue a "caution" warning to private taxis and corporate taxis that receive more than seven reports of unfriendly behavior, and will notify them that they are at risk of being punished.
As of now, 218 taxi drivers and 68 taxi companies have been notified. When unkind reports are received, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will issue a notice to individual and corporate taxi transport business associations and transport workers (taxi associations).
The company reports the incident to the police, which listens to and considers the opinions of the complainant and the transport worker to determine whether or not the complaint is unkind. Transport workers who have accumulated complaints are required to take a four-hour friendly education course, and corporate taxi drivers are required to suspend transportation for two months.
The company will be subject to a reduction in its communication subsidy (5,000 won (about 508 yen) per month). The training will include customer service guidelines (such as friendly greetings and refraining from unnecessary conversations), and the Passenger Law and Taxi Development Law.
It includes rules that transportation workers must follow. Meanwhile, the private and corporate taxi industry is also making efforts to reduce unfriendly driving.
The city has implemented a taxi fare refund system, offering passengers a refund up to 50,000 won (approximately 5,080 yen).
Not only did complaints about unfriendly services decrease, but satisfaction with Seoul's taxi services also increased.
The results of the 2024 Taxi Service Citizen Satisfaction Survey (Seoul Research Institute) showed that the city's taxi service satisfaction rose slightly from the previous year to 83.0 points.
It has been steadily increasing from 2.1 points to 82.4 points in 2021, 82.2 points in 2022, 82.8 points in 2023, and 83.0 points in 2024.
Seoul Metropolitan Government's transportation chief, Yeo Jang-kwon, said, "We have been working to improve taxi services.
As a result of our efforts in various areas together with the community, complaints about inconveniences have been gradually decreasing and user satisfaction has been increasing. We will continue to do our best to improve our services so that Seoul Taxi will become a friendlier and safer taxi that citizens can trust.
We will continue to do so," he said.