HUNAN Province taxi drivers have ended their three-day strike after the local government promised to help cut the monthly fees they pay taxi companies.
The city government of Yueyang wrote a public letter to taxi owners and drivers, urging the drivers to go back to work as their strike had paralyzed the services downtown.
The government said drivers would not have to pay their monthly fees to their companies until the government announced new rates. The new rate would be lower than at present, it said.
The government has formed a task force to study the issue, vice Mayor Han Jianguo said.
The government also promised not to expand the taxi fleet unless the city size or population rose steeply to ensure a stable market environment for taxi drivers.
The strike began on Friday when dozens of drivers parked their taxis in front of the Yueyang municipal government's building, demanding that it reduce the monthly fees they pay taxi companies, police said.
More drivers joined the strike on Saturday, police said.
The strike turned violent at times with some drivers trying to force others to strike. Police detained 11 rioters over the three days.
Yueyang has about 11 taxi companies running 1,600 cabs and 3,000 taxi drivers. Drivers pay the companies between 6,400 yuan (US$936) and 7,100 yuan a month.