Description

Hu Libing, 40, normally brings in 500 yuan ($79) for a 12-hour day driving a taxi in Changsha from 6 am. But winter can be a chilly time of year, both in terms of temperature and income.

His revenue may drop, some days, to "a little more than 200 yuan". That doesn't even cover his costs as he must pay 220 yuan daily to the taxi company.

A diesel shortage is the reason Hu loses money on those days.

"I have to wait for two hours and even longer at the gas station to get refueled. And you are only allowed to buy 50 yuan worth of diesel. So I have to come back for another two hours in the afternoon," he said. "In the worst scenario, I tried 10 filling stations and couldn't get a single drop of diesel and was afraid of running out of fuel.