Over 546,000 Shenzhen motorists pledge to go car-free during APEC week

More than 546,000 Shenzhen residents had pledged to leave their cars at home during next month's APEC meetings as of Oct. 26, with the city offering commemorative transit cards and car stickers to encourage greener travel.

The front and back designs of the APEC 2026 commemorative Shenzhen Tong transit card, featuring a cartoon black-faced spoonbill, a migratory bird that winters in Shenzhen Bay. The card will be offered to motorists who honor their pledge to leave their cars at home during APEC meeting week. Courtesy of Shenzhen Traffic Police

The voluntary initiative, launched Oct. 15, encourages residents to avoid using their private cars for one or more days from Nov. 16 to 20 to help ease traffic congestion during the APEC meetings.

Motorists can register through the Shenzhen Traffic Police's Star User online service and earn reward points for each day they honor their commitment. The points can be redeemed for specially designed APEC commemorative Shenzhen Tong transit cards, with each point worth 0.5 yuan (US$0.07) in stored value.

Authorities will verify compliance using traffic data. Vehicles that leave Shenzhen and make no trips within the city on a pledged day will also qualify for points. Motorists who break their commitment will not face penalties but will lose their points for that day and any bonus points for consecutive days of non-use.

Eligible participants can redeem their points and register their mailing addresses starting Nov. 21. The cards will be delivered free of charge, with applications closing Dec. 31.

All motorists who register will also receive a digital image of the commemorative card bearing a unique number. They can claim an APEC car sticker by presenting proof of registration at participating gas stations, charging stations and other designated locations from Oct. 27 to Dec. 31, excluding Nov. 16-20.

Both the transit cards and stickers feature the black-faced spoonbill, an endangered migratory bird that winters in Shenzhen Bay and has become a familiar symbol of the city's natural environment. The designs were developed under the artistic direction of Chen Xiangbo, chairman of the Shenzhen Artists Association.

The incentives are part of Shenzhen's broader efforts to ease traffic during APEC meeting week, when bus and Metro fares will be reduced by 50% to encourage public transport use.