A taxi driver puts a sign on his cab which means free pick-up services for those taking the national college entrance in Yangquan city. [Photo/yqnews.com.cn]

During this year's national college entrance examination or gaokao on July 7 and 8, people from all walks of life in Yangquan city in North China's Shanxi province graciously offered their services in different ways to help college candidates get through the crucial exam safely and smoothly.

To provide convenient transport for the students, the Yangquan Taxi Management Department organized 189 taxis to transport them free of charge. 

Students could make appointments in advance or wait at designated places to take the cabs. Taxi drivers were asked to wear masks and vehicles were disinfected daily to provide a safe and comfortable environment.

Also, 20 private cars participated in the free pick-ups and drop-offs. Each owner of the private cars contacted students or their parents in advance and planned out reasonable driving routes to ensure their timely arrival at the test sites.

A taxi driver replaces seast cover to offer more clean and comfortable environment for examinees in Yangquan city. [Photo/yqnews.com.cn]

Meanwhile, Yangquan Zhonghuanjie Co dispatched vehicles and sanitation personnel to disinfect and clean the surroundings around the test sites and arranged for them to work at periods when students were not at rest or sitting exams to avoid noise. 

Yangquan police organized personnel to ensure smooth road traffic around each test site and provided timely help for examinees in emergencies to ensure that all could sit their exam on time.

Elsewhere, over the past few days, the Yangquan market supervision bureau took measures to ensure the safety of student' food before and during the examination period. By July 6, all canteens in the five test sites in the city had been checked and special staff members have been on duty to avoid food safety accidents during the exam period.

In addition, various cultural and entertainment sites -- such as internet cafes, karaoke clubs and ballrooms in the city -- were advised to reduce the volume of audio playback and shorten their business hours to create a quiet pre-test environment for the examinees.