PUBLISHED ONJune 12, 2026 9:57 AMBYWong Dao EnRide-sharing drivers in China have taken to unconventional methods to attract more customers and earn additional income.
Hong Kong publication South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Tuesday (June 9) that these drivers are offering extra services to combat market saturation, ranging from selling products to providing haircuts.
According to China media outlet 36kr, these side gigs have different categories such as mobile retail, entertainment, entertainment and leisure, and skill-based services.
In a case of mobile retail, a driver in Harbin sells mosaic pendants crafted by his daughter which he displays on the back seat.
While he just wanted to show his daughter's artwork, customers started asking him to quote a price for them, and he found they were more lucrative than his rides.
Once, he managed to sell mosaic art for 93 yuan (S$17.65), while the trip cost only 10 yuan.
A Sichuan driver was spotted selling handmade accessories made by his unemployed wife, and said he was selling more than he would with a real stall by converting his car into a "mobile shop".
Another driver in Shanghai —who claimed to be a jewellery shop owner doing ride-hailing driving as a part-time job — sold jade products by hanging them in his car.
Meanwhile, other drivers chose to focus on elevating the experience of the ride instead, the report said.
A driver provided passengers with an opportunity to sing by placing a karaoke machine and a disco ball in the back seat — they just have to scan a QR code to sing their chosen songs.
As the machine has a rating system, the driver also give passengers a drink if they receive a score of 95 and above.
A passenger planned a 3km ride, but changed to a destination further away upon discovering that they could sing karaoke in the car, picking up two friends along the way.
"I had a great time singing in the taxi, my emotions were high... Shenzhen people really value efficiency," the passenger was quoted as saying by 36kr.
Some drivers also reportedly installed massage mats on the seat, offering passengers a two-minute free massage to entice them to pay for longer service.
SCMP said that passengers cannot say "no" to the massage, with one describing it as "torture" as he had a fractured rib bone.
"At that moment, I felt like I was going to break to pieces," the passenger told 36kr.
Meanwhile, other drivers focus on skill-based service, which also happens to be the most well-known.
In one such case, a driver from Suzhou offers cheap haircuts for eight yuan, doing so in between rides as he waits for customers.
He began getting other drivers as customers, who all knew him as the skilled barber at the parking lot.
Another driver from Jiangmen in Guangdong province turned his car into a mini-cafe, offering americano and latte made "on site" priced between 22 and 29 yuan.
Passengers recalled riding in the same car, saying that the driver was "explaining the difference between cappuccino and American coffee all the way", according to 36kr.
While some passengers said they understood the reasons behind why drivers offer such unconventional service, some expressed safety concerns over these gimmicks.
Selling items while providing ride-sharing services is also disallowed by platforms, SCMP reported, stating that drivers could be liable to punishment if their stories went viral.
Drivers also require special permits to sell food in the car, the report said.
"It is very dangerous to place products randomly in the car, especially the one that sells jade products. I support the drivers making more money by selling stuff. They can probably put a catalogue in their cars," a netizen was quoted by SCMP as saying.
Another online observer commented that they would prefer a clean and safe ride over all the different experiences offered.
China's ride-hailing market witnessed a boom around 2015 and had 7.5 million licensed ride-sharing drivers by 2024, SCMP said, leading to increased market saturation.
Furthermore, ride-sharing platforms in China have lowered their price per kilometre offered to drivers, in which prices can go to as low as one yuan in some cities during non-peak hours.
Shenzhen ride-hailing drivers reportedly earn only about 300 yuan despite working 12 hours a day, after deducting additional costs such as rental fees, charging fees and insurance.
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