The spotlight of the national media recently fell on the Baotou Leifeng Motorcade – a group of volunteer taxi drivers who take time out from work to do good deeds – when their efforts were reported by People's Daily, the CCTV Focus Report, the Inner Mongolia Daily and others.

The motorcade – based in Baotou city, in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region – was China's first volunteer service taxi driver group founded in July 2007.

It's named after Lei Feng – a Party member who died in the line of duty in 1962 at the age of 22 – who helped many people throughout his life. 

Since its establishment, it has helped find missing elderly people and children more than 350 times and voluntarily planted more than 2,000 trees.

Moreover, it has donated over 350,000 yuan ($51,893) to orphans, leukemia patients and Wenchuan and Yushu earthquake-stricken areas – and helped find and return over 245,000 yuan in lost cash and over 2,000 mobile phones to passengers.

On Feb 27, the Publicity Department of the Party Committee of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region held a news conference in the region's capital city of Hohhot on the deeds of the general Party branch of the Leifeng motorcade.

At the event, the honorary title of "Northern Border Area's Model" was awarded to the general Party branch of the Leifeng motorcade and medals and certificates were issued.

Members of Baotou Leifeng Motorcade and their families take time out to plant some trees. [Photo/WeChat account of Baotou Daily]

Time is money for cabbies making a living. The question was asked why they sacrificed time, when they could be earning money, to help others.

"At first, I could not help helping others who were more in need than us," admitted motorcade member, Zhao Yixuan.

"Later, I got used to it. I felt very happy when I helped others to solve their problems," the taxi driver added.