Shanghai Tells Transit Officials To Get On The Bus

"High-ranking public transport officials have been told to take the bus or Metro to work every 22nd day of the month.

The move will help reduce vehicle emissions and let officials experience crowded city transport at first hand, the Shanghai Urban Transport Management Bureau said yesterday.

"Our department is in charge of the city's transport management and our officials need to know about the problems on the frontline," Huang Xiaoyong, a bureau official who deals with the media, said yesterday.

Huang said nearly 1,000 high-ranking officials, from the bureau to its affiliated government departments, will be forced to abandon their official cars on the 22nd of every month, starting today.

A group of watchdogs will ensure all official cars are parked at office parking lots the whole day."

"The city government [also] planned to name September 22 as "No Car Day" when all official cars would be grounded."