Beijing taxi drivers don smart Olympics duds

Beijing (dpa) - Some 100,000 taxi drivers began plying Beijing's roads in smart new yellow shirts and striped ties on Saturday, in one of the latest efforts by the government to spruce up the city's image for the Olympics.

Each driver received two pairs of trousers, two shirts and a tie from his or her company, the China Daily newspaper said.

The uniforms cost about 500 yuan ($73) per driver and were believed to be partly subsidized by the government, the newspaper quoted taxi company managers as saying.

Beijing reportedly has more than 66,000 taxis, most of them driven 24 hours a day by two drivers in two shifts.

The Beijing Olympic organizers, Bocog, on Thursday promised to provide more taxis at Olympic venues following complaints about a lack of availability.

Beijing has imposed a two-month restriction on vehicle use to ease traffic pressure and curb air pollution, but taxis are exempt.