The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) yesterday said that it would revoke the operating license of the tour bus company involved in the nation’s most fatal freeway bus crash, which killed 33 people onboard and injured 11.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) made the announcement after reviewing the accident with ministry officials.
“A preliminary investigation showed the cause of the accident was not road conditions,” Hochen said. “The cause is probably to do with the bus and its driver.”
Photo: CNA
“With investigators still determining the cause of the accident, the ministry will revoke Yeow Lih Transportation’s (友力通運) tour bus operating license for committing a severe violation of Article 77 of the Highway Act (公路法),” he said.
People should refrain from buying low-price, one-day tours promising visits to too many attractions, he added.
Lawmakers yesterday called for the government to examine the problem of travel agencies providing tours with unreasonably low costs that compromise tour quality; to check whether the nearly 20-year-old bus had the required safety credentials; and make public the vehicle’s inspection records.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
Hochen said that names of poorly performing tour bus operators — particularly those that received a “D” grade from the Directorate-General of Highways (DGH) in mandatory evaluations conducted every two years — would be made public and their operations would be examined by the ministry.
Those firms would be given two weeks to address their problems, he said, adding that should they fail to improve, they would face suspension of some operations or revocation of their operating license as stipulated in Article 47 of the act.
Operators that received a “C” grade in the evaluation would face the same sanctions if they fail to address problems within two months, Hochen said.
Tour bus companies should review the records of their bus drivers and consider removing any who have behavioral issues, Hochen said, adding that this would help reassure the public that they are taking responsibility for their drivers.
The Tourism Bureau is to conduct a comprehensive examination of one-day tours on the market, particularly low-price tours with long itineraries, he said.
“Some one-day tours depart early in the morning and visit many attractions, which makes people think they are getting a bargain,” Hochen said. “However, these are not ideal and are designed to gain an edge in the market, but put people’s lives at risk.”
An online platform set up by tour bus associations must include all itineraries, with the DGH to review them, Hochen said.
Travel Agent Association spokesperson Ringo Lee (李奇嶽) said Iris Travel’s one-day tour package, which the bus involved in the crash on Monday night was servicing, cost NT$850 per person, which is considered a reasonable price, with similar deals ranging from NT$800 to NT$1,000.
The cost covers travel, lunch, insurance and tour guide costs, Lee said.
Lee said that the bus was built by Volvo, and had a hydraulic brake system and run-flat tires.
The bureau said the tour group was on a one-day tour to Wuling Farm (武陵農場) in Taichung’s Heping District (和平) to view cherry blossoms that was arranged by Taipei-based Iris Travel Service Co (蝶戀花旅行社), which was established in 1999 and offers one-day, two-day and multiple-day domestic tours.
It ordered Iris Travel to suspend operations immediately and to only resume them after it properly handles the aftermath of the incident and submits plans to tackle problems with its business.
DGH data showed that the bus was manufactured in 1998 and passed an examination on Jan. 5.
The driver, Kang Yu-hsun (康育勳) — who died in the crash — in April 2011 secured a license to operate large passenger buses.
He had two unresolved traffic-related violations, one for failure to fasten his seatbelt and one a breach of tire tread regulations.
Images captured by a car’s dashboard camera showed the bus taking an offramp from the Chiang Wei-shui Memorial Freeway (Freeway No. 5) toward the Formosa Freeway (Freeway No. 3) in Taipei when it lost control on a curve.
The bus hit a roadside barrier and tumbled down an embankment.
Firefighters found the roof of the vehicle ripped open, with some passengers having been thrown from the bus. Others were jammed between seats, waiting to be rescued.
Additional Reporting by Alison Hsiao
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