Driver Wang Jun with his special taxi for the G20 summit. Photo: Jiang Jie

Special taxis for the G20 summit in a parking lot. Photo: Jiang Jie

With the G20 summit around the corner, the host city of Hangzhou has introduced a special week-long taxi service to better serve the world event.

Wang Jun, a 39-year-old taxi driver, admitted that being part of the special taxi fleet for media and guests would invariably affect his business, but he and many others are nevertheless willing to volunteer from Aug. 28th to Sept. 8th.

"It's once in a blue moon. We won't get a chance like this again soon," Wang told People's Daily Online, noting that it is a great honor for the local citizens.

Wang said he attended a week-long training course that covered etiquette and terrorism prevention, as well as some basic English. Some 200 people attended the course with him.

About 40 cars and 80 drivers belonging to Wang's employer, or 20 percent of all the taxis in the company, were designated for the special fleet.

Many drivers volunteered to take part. Those chosen boasted higher ratings, which better guarantees safety and familiarity with the road, according to Wang.

All special taxis are tagged with signs reading "taxi dedicated to the summit." While no subsidies will be issued, the seats in each special taxi are newly decorated in the color blue, which is also the color of this year's summit. 

A driver wearing a Party badge stands with his special taxi dedicated to the G20 Summit. Photo: Yang Mu