Didi (滴滴) says it will cover costs after passenger allegedly defecates in car; caller says they cannot reach rider

Platform steps in after driver’s costly cleanup

Didi (滴滴) responded today to an incident in which a driver discovered human waste on his vehicle’s rear seat and floor mats, saying the company will cover seat replacement and cleaning costs and provide an extra subsidy to help the driver return to service. The platform said it had promptly investigated the May 27 early‑morning order and contacted both the driver, identified as Mr. Chen (陈先生), and the person who placed the ride.

It has been reported that the trip was a "代叫" — a third‑party booking placed on behalf of the actual rider. The caller told Didi they did not know the passenger and could not reach them, the company said. Didi added that it has cooperated with police inquiries and urged the caller to apologize and assume responsibility, while stepping in to meet the immediate financial loss for the driver.

Driver’s account and unresolved questions

According to media reports, Mr. Chen smelled a strong odor soon after the passenger boarded; he opened the windows but later found feces soaked into the rear seat and carpeting, with the smell persisting after a 4S‑shop cleaning. Reportedly he ultimately paid just over ¥1,000 to replace the seat and has been unable to accept rides while the vehicle is repaired. He filed a police report, but investigators treated the matter as a personal dispute and said it did not meet the threshold for criminal charges.

Who bears responsibility when a ride is booked by someone else — the caller, the passenger or the platform? Didi’s intervention addresses the immediate loss, but the episode highlights recurring operational and liability questions for China’s ride‑hailing sector, where platforms are expected to mediate third‑party bookings and driver protection. For Western readers: Didi is China’s dominant ride‑hailing firm and remains under close regulatory scrutiny since the 2021 regulatory crackdown on major tech platforms, which has increased pressure on companies to demonstrate robust user‑safety and compliance practices.