Rising gas prices have persuaded some of the nation’s motorists to start riding motorcycles or bicycles instead of driving, a survey by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has revealed.
The survey was carried out toward the end of last month, about two months after the Executive Yuan started raising retail gas and diesel prices.
The Executive Yuan has increased retail gas prices two times since it took the helm.
In May, it raised the price of retail gas by NT$3.9 per liter and that of diesel by NT$4.4.
Last month, it increased retail gas prices again by NT$1.5 per liter and by NT$1.6 per liter for diesel.
SHORT JOURNEYS
The survey found that while about 66 percent of respondents said they still choose to drive for short journeys, close to 34 percent said they had stopped driving cars altogether.
Among those who chose to ditch their cars, about 84 percent said they have started riding motorcycles.
Of those who continue driving cars, however, about 17 percent said they would quit if gas prices were raised by another 10 percent
Should the price of gas be raised by another 30 percent, approximately 30 percent of drivers said they would stop using their cars.
The ministry compared the user percentages of different transportation means for short-distance travel both before and after the gas price hike, as well as those gained after simulating scenarios of both 10-percent and 30-percent gas price increases.
A drastic decline was observed among car users, decreasing from 35 percent to 16.4 percent.
BICYCLES
Users of bicycles, on the other hand, jumped from 6 percent to 16.5 percent. Figures for use of public transportation systems also increased from 10 percent to 15 percent.
A similar trend was indicated for long-distance travel. Car use halved to 34 percent wheras the use of public transport surged to 53 percent from 25 percent.
The survey also showed that, overall, motorists have reduced their use of cars ever since the oil price rose. The use of motorcycles did not seem to diminish.
Close to 30 percent reported that their strategy to counter rising oil prices was to reduce their amount of travel.
Also See: CPC lowers diesel, gas prices for first time in 11 months
The government should improve children’s outdoor spaces and accelerate carbon reduction programs, as the risk of heat-related injury due to high summer temperatures rises each year, Greenpeace told a news conference yesterday. Greenpeace examined summer temperatures in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to determine the effects of high temperatures and climate change on children’s outdoor activities, citing data garnered by China Medical University, which defines a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 29°C or higher as posing the risk of heat-related injury. According to the Central Weather Administration, WBGT, commonly referred to as the heat index, estimates
Taipei and other northern cities are to host air-raid drills from 1:30pm to 2pm tomorrow as part of urban resilience drills held alongside the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises. Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to hold the annual Wanan air defense exercise tomorrow, following similar drills held in central and southern Taiwan yesterday and today respectively. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Maokong Gondola are to run as usual, although stations and passenger parking lots would have an “entry only, no exit” policy once air raid sirens sound, Taipei
Taipei placed 14th in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Student Cities 2026 list, its highest ever, according to results released yesterday. With an overall score of 89.1, the city climbed 12 places from the previous year, surpassing its previous best ranking of 17th in 2019. Taipei is “one of Asia’s leading higher-education hubs,” with strong employer activity scores and students “enjoying their experience of the city and often keen to stay after graduation,” a QS staff writer said. In addition to Taipei, Hsinchu (71st), Tainan (92nd), Taichung (113th) and Taoyuan (130th) also made QS’ list of the top 150 student cities. Hsinchu showed the
Environmental groups yesterday filed an appeal with the Executive Yuan, seeking to revoke the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conditionally approved in February for the Hsieh-ho Power Plant’s planned fourth liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving station off the coast of Keelung. The appeal was filed jointly by the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group, the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association and the Keelung City Taiwan Head Cultural Association, which together held a news conference outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei. Explaining the reasons for the appeal, Wang Hsing-chih (王醒之) of the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group said that the EIA failed to address
RSS