With little fanfare, motorcycle ride-hailing platforms have rolled out in smaller Chinese cities, offering rides for as little as 5 yuan ($0.7). But as the services expand, regulators are now scrambling to keep up, with no clear licensing rules, patchy oversight, and growing questions about safety and legality.

Still in their early stages, the services function much like car-hailing apps: riders input pickup and drop-off points via a mini program, then wait for a match. With limited orders and uneven coverage, platforms are now focused on expansion and building trust through safety training.

Legal experts warn that without clear national rules, platforms risk operating in a gray zone: tolerated in some cities, penalized in others. Some argue that regulation should follow development, not block it.

According to the domestic news outlet Red Star News, in southern China’s Guangdong province, platforms like Modiyixia charge 6 yuan for the first 2 kilometers and 0.8 yuan for every 500 meters — roughly half the starting fare for car-hailing services in cities like Guangzhou, the provincial capital.

Safety rules require both driver and passenger to wear helmets, limit each ride to one passenger, and avoid restricted areas. Modiyixia, which began promoting its services in December, has seen steady orders in Maoming and plans to expand. Drivers receive safety training, insurance, and are monitored for route and speed compliance.

Tamoxing, another regional operator, uses a more complex pricing model, with fares starting at 5 yuan and fluctuating between 4.6 and 7.5 yuan depending on the time of day. It currently operates in Lechang in Guangdong, as well as Guiyang and Yizhang in central Hunan province.

Li, a motorcycle ride-hailing driver in Guiyang, said he’s been working through a platform for about six months, averaging up to 20 orders a day during peak times. The company takes a 10% commission. In Lechang, driver Peng said business remains slow, with only a few daily orders so far.

Both emphasized that registration requires mandatory training on platform rules and safety protocols, including verified licenses, helmet use for both driver and passenger, and a one-passenger-per-ride limit.

In some of these cities, traffic police penalize riders for violations such as overloading or helmet noncompliance, while transport authorities oversee broader operations. But with no clear regulatory framework in place, officials say managing motorcycle ride-hailing remains difficult, especially in smaller cities and counties.

While some regions have tackled informal motorcycle taxi services in the past, legal experts note that online platforms still operate in a gray area. Without specific licensing requirements for drivers and operators, enforcement remains patchy, and potentially risky.

Chen Bing, vice dean of the law school at Nankai University, called for a “develop first, regulate later” approach to online motorcycle ride-hailing. He urged authorities to prioritize monitoring and research to better manage safety, data use, and compliance.

“In small and midsized cities where motorcycle taxis have long been common, platforms that help organize and expand these services can play a meaningful role,” Chen said.

(Header image: Riders wait for consumers in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, 2019. Zhang Dongli/VCG)