[VIDEO NEWS] Seoul taxi drivers have new uniforms: why?
2) “Wearing a uniform against my will won’t suddenly make me the best driver, will it?”
3) These were the words of a taxi driver in Seoul.
4) The city of Seoul bought uniforms for 35,000 drivers of corporation-owned taxis using 1.6 billion won ($1.5 million).
5) Each driver received two blue striped shirts and one black vest, which are worth about 40,000 won altogether.
6) As for pants, drivers are expected to wear any pair of suit pants they own.
7) Seoul also announced the standards for penalty in case of unworn uniforms.
8) Companies will be fined 100,000 won or be suspended (three days for the first violation, five days for the second),
9) and individual drivers will be fined 100,000 won.
10) Why is Seoul doing this?
11) There are several reasons.
12) A staff member of the city government says complaints from drivers themselves were reflected in the decision.
13) “The city bought drivers new uniforms, because there were many complaints from drivers about the cheap uniforms provided by taxi companies.”
14) The city government says there were also complaints from some taxi users:
15) “Some users were unhappy about drivers wearing ripped jeans, shorts or hats.”
16) However, taxi drivers do not seem to be following the plan as the government intended.
17) Many of them did not have their uniforms on properly.
18) On this, an employee of the city government said,
19) “The [taxi drivers’] union has confirmed that 80 to 90 percent of drivers are wearing the uniforms properly, vests included. Since it seems the instructions are being followed well and because drivers will not welcome it, we are not planning additional inspections right now.”
20) “In Japan, taxi drivers with uniforms provide service of a higher quality and are rewarded for it by the company.” - Chang Taek-young, doctor at Samsung Traffic Safety Research Institute
21) Experts suggest that to have more drivers wear the uniforms, a more fundamental solution is necessary.
Video sourced from JoongAng Ilbo
Directed by Ahn Na-young
Produced by Oh Da-seul
Translated by Kim Hyo-jung
Edited by Matthew Silberman
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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