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Dress code toughened for cabbies

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By Kim Se-jeong

Taxi drivers in Seoul will be banned from wearing slip on sandals, shorts and caps to improve the quality of service from November, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) said Monday.

The adoption of a dress code is in line with a law that requires public transport drivers to have neat attire or clothes designated by the operators.

Sleeveless shirts, shorts and sweat pants are not permitted, as well as barefoot driving.

They will also be barred from wearing caps that can be used to partially hide a driver's identity from passengers. This grew out of complaints from female passengers fearful of male drivers who might kidnap them.

Drivers who violate the dress code will be subject to 100,000 won fines. In addition to the fine, cabbies caught violating the rules will be suspended from working for three days. For a second violation, the suspension will be five days.

The city government has long talked about implementing a dress code for taxi drivers.

Between 2009 and 2010, the city made it mandatory for all taxi drivers to wear shirts with stripes. The city provided them to the drivers, but the uniform idea was scrapped because of opposition from taxi drivers who claimed the city was infringing on their freedom.

Instead, the city issued a "what-not-to-wear" list, and had taxi companies monitor it independently.

Kook Eung-saeng, a city government official handling the issue, said the city wants the uniform back and is seeking such a measure. "We will meet with taxi companies and encourage them to come up with their own uniform within each company," he said. "Freedom is important, but it's about the quality of service, too."

Taxi drivers do not seem happy with the city's stance.

Lee Cheol-young who has been a taxi driver in Seoul for 10 years said, "I understand the concern for the safety of female passengers, but it's wrong for the city to try to solve the problem by imposing on taxi drivers' freedom. The city should have more important things to decide; not regulating what taxi drivers wear."

Kim Se-jeong skim@koreatimes.co.kr


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