Source: whatsonweibo, Manya Koetse
This is Party-building in the new era: Didi now allows users of its Premier Car Service to let a verified Party member drive them to their destination.On September 20, as the Peoples Republic of China is nearing its 70th-anniversary celebrations, the countrys most popular taxi-hailing app Didi published an article on Weibo and WeChat explaining its verified Party Member Driver Program.
Recently, riders in Beijing may have noticed something different at Didis Premier Car service, which is called Licheng since June of last year.
Some of Lichengs drivers now have a red background to their profile photos accompanied by a Communist Party emblem. Upon clicking the profile of these drivers, customers will see that this driver is a Party Member Driver () meaning that the Didi drivers status as a Party member has been verified through Didis Red Flag Steering Wheel program () that was set up in November 2018.
Didis Red Flag Steering Wheel program () that was set up in November 2018. Image via Guancha.
Didi writes that these drivers can also be identified as Party members through the red sticker on the dashboard at the passenger side, which literally says Party member driver.
The article explains that the recent project is an effort to contribute to Chinas Party-building in the digital era, and that Didi aims to establish a Party member community within its company.
This car is driven by a Party member (image via Didi/Weibo). The company is apparently planning to make this community a lively one, as it promises to provide online and offline activities that will help these drivers stay up to date with the latest developments within the Party, and that will increase their Party awareness.
Starting this month, Didi will reportedly also offer patriotic classes to all of its drivers via its online classroom program.
China has more than 88 million Party members. Party membership does not come overnight; those who want to become a Communist Party member need to attend Party courses, pass written tests, be recommended by other members, and pass a screening.
As for now, riders cannot manually pick to have a Party member as their driver; a nearby driver will be automatically selected when they order a car if it is a Party member, they will know straight away from the drivers profile.
For now, Didi has set up mobile Party branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and a number of other cities.
On Weibo, some see the initiative as a marketing move from Didis side. If you hear the driver is a Party member, you know its reliable. Its a good thing. The past year was a tough year for Didi, after the murders of two young women by their Didi driver made national headlines, causing outrage and concerns about customers safety when hailing a car through the Didi company.
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