Lanzhou Bus Drivers Refuse to Use AC Due to Fuel Efficiency Quotas; Measures Suspended

Recently, bus drivers in Lanzhou, Gansu Province have reported that due to the company's performance evaluation policy linking vehicle energy consumption to performance-based pay—where exceeding prescribed energy consumption standards results in proportional deductions from their performance wages—some drivers have been reluctant to turn on air conditioning while driving, negatively affecting passenger comfort. A staff member from the Sixth Passenger Transport Company of Lanzhou Bus Group stated that the evaluation policy was designed to encourage drivers to properly maintain their vehicles and drive safely, thereby helping the company reduce costs and improve efficiency. The policy, according to the official, already accounts for differences in vehicle models, conditions, and routes, using average energy consumption as a baseline. The evaluation metrics are adjusted dynamically each month and include allowances for increased energy consumption caused by operating air conditioning during high-temperature weather. Currently, the relevant evaluation measures have been suspended.