Beijing taxi-hailing app banned for tip option  

摇摇招车加价被交通委封杀 为应对政策推"北京版"

A taxi driver looks for passengers with a taxi-hailing app.[Photo: CFP]

(ECNS) -- The taxi-hailing app "96106 Yaoyao" has been banned for providing an option that allows customers to pay extra fares, the Beijiing News reported.

An upgrade on the app allows users to tip between 10 and 100 yuan.

Beijing's transport commission authorized four taxi-hailing apps in late August, which fixed the standard for tipping drivers and forbid them from providing mark-up options for users.

Yaoyao responded in a statement Thursday that the "bug" had been fixed.

Zhao Zhanling, of the Internet Society of China, argued that the mark-up option on the apps is a voluntary agreement between taxi drivers and passengers, and that there is no need to intervene.

The commission should focus on malicious charges by drivers, Zhao added.