Resilient trade-offs between safety and profitability: perspectives of sharp-end drivers in the Beijing taxi service system

Abstract

Background. Trade-offs are common behaviors of resilient systems, when the systems adapt to changing situations to meet multiple goals. Objective. In the context of the Beijing taxi service system (BTSS), this work investigates the sharp-end taxi drivers’ trade-offs between work safety and business profitability, demonstrates their resilience in balancing these two goals and identifies factors that contribute to the trade-offs. Methods. An empirical framework incorporating questionnaire surveys, semi-structured interviews, field observation, data screening and categorization was adopted. Data were collected from a random sample of 70 taxi drivers. Results. In the drivers’ decisions we found a slight bias in favor of profitability rather than safety (regardless of their finances), and a high level of resilience that the drivers had developed in making strategies for the trade-offs. Trip distance, possibility of traffic congestion, redundant consumption, weather conditions, road features and real-time broadcast information were identified as determinants of the drivers’ decision-making. Conclusion. The findings inform BTSS organizational layers and regulators about the sharp-end drivers’ needs for productive safety, and provide an evidence base for making more definitive recommendations about support provision and resource re-allocation in an effective and proactive manner.

Keywords:

• trade-offs
• resilience
• safety
• profitability
• taxi drivers

Acknowledgements

The authors thank informants in the Beijing taxi service industry for sharing their valuable knowledge and experiences. The authors also thank the editors and reviewers for their valuable comments to improve the quality of the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.