(Yicai) Aug. 22 -- Didi Chuxing, T3 Chuxing, Cao Cao Mobility, and other Chinese ride-hailing service providers have announced they will lower their commission fees to benefit drivers following local regulators' active push to address high commission rates in the sector.

Didi will lower the maximum commission fee per order to 27 percent from 29 percent by the end of this year, with any excess amount automatically refunded to drivers' accounts, the Beijing-based firm said, adding that the average monthly fee will not exceed 25 percent for those who complete at least 50 rides per month. The average commission fee for all orders on the platform was 14 percent last year, it pointed out.

The commission fee on T3 will not exceed 27 percent, with plans to reduce the share of orders with commission fees of between 26 percent and 27 percent to 17 percent from 21 percent, the Nanjing-based company noted. For drivers who complete at least 50 orders a month, the monthly fee is capped at 25 percent.

The livelihood pressure for ride-hailing drivers grew in recent years due to more drivers, fewer orders, higher commission fees, pricier electricity, and other factors, a Nanjing driver with five years of experience told Yicai, adding that he also hopes for fairer order dispatching and a reduction in penalties.

Regulators in multiple Chinese regions have repeatedly summoned ride-hailing platforms over commission fee issues since last year, banning order resales and requiring them to set reasonable commission fee rates to protect the rights of drivers and passengers. Many have issued detailed ride-hailing control rules this year, further clarifying platforms' responsibilities in safeguarding drivers' rights and interests.

Editor: Martin Kadiev