A Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) survey has found that the average taxi driver drives around 142km per day and takes only three days off per month.
The survey also found that taxi drivers work an average of 10 hours a day and are without customers for an average of 3.6 hours per day.
The ministry sent questionnaires to 14,250 registered taxi drivers between February and April. The results were compiled from the 6,923 valid samples it received.
The survey also indicated that 74 percent of taxi drivers find customers by waving at pedestrians.
About the same percentage of respondents said they were not satisfied with designated taxi stop areas, because they were usually already occupied by other taxis. They also said the taxi stops, as well as parking spots, were insufficient for the number of taxis plying the streets.
As of last December, the number of registered taxis was around 89,100, representing a 4.8 percent drop from 2005. Approximately 97 percent of drivers are male. Close to 89 percent are full-time drivers. The average driver has operated a taxi for 13.5 years.
The survey found that a taxi driver earns an average monthly salary of NT$40,642 and has operational costs of NT$19,337 per month, leaving NT$21,305 in earnings. The amount was 7.4 percent less than in 2005, when fuel prices were lower.
In addition, 74.6 percent of respondents said they had reduced the rounds they drive every day and 61.3 percent said they were earning less money.
The survey will be analyzed by various bureaus to draw up measures to respond to the findings.
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