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EasyCard touts success

Huang Hung-rong displays his personal collection of 4,654 EasyCards with 611 different themes at an event in Taipei yesterday to celebrate EasyCard sales breaking the 10-million mark. PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUN, TAIPEI TIMES

The multi-purpose "EasyCard," used to pay transit fees on Taipei MRT lines and buses, celebrated a record-breaking sale yesterday as the circulation of the card broke the 10 million mark.

The EasyCard, the sixth-largest circulated card of its kind in the world, which was first issued on June 12, 2002, reached 9 million in circulation in April, and is expected to reach 15 million in circulation in the near future, according to Taipei Smart Card Corporation (TSCC).

Celebrating the circulation, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday expressed his expectations for the TSCC to continue expanding the uses of the card and cooperating with other cities and counties to allow more people to use the card.

"We hope that ultimately, everyone can travel around the country with one EasyCard in hand," Hau said as he addressed the celebration at the Taipei City Hall.

Besides MRT fees and buses, the card can also be used to pay parking fees and admission to Taipei's Maokong gondola system.

The TSCC already joined efforts with Taipei County, Keelung city and Taoyuan County for the card to be used to pay for part of the area's transportation fees.

Former Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday also participated in the event to share his pride in the multi-purpose card, which was launched during his mayorship.

"I believe the circulation will continue to increase, and its uses will continue to expand," he said.

A total of 1,000 special-edition EasyCards featuring tiny photos of 1,000 citizens holding their cards in a mosaic went on sale yesterday at the gift shop at City Hall and the MRT gift shop near exit six of the Taipei Main Station.

Showing his personal collection of 4,654 special edition EasyCards, Taipei resident Huang Hung-rong (黃鴻榮) said collecting the cards has cost him NT$2 million (US$ 60,000).

He will continue the collection as the card represented the convenience the MRT has brought to the city.

In an effort to protect passengers' rights, TSCC Chairman Chen Yu-chang (陳裕璋) said the company will put NT$1.3 billion fees collected from the Easy Cards in a trust fund.
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