Many of the nation’s toll collectors are likely to lose their jobs once the government starts charging freeway motorists by the number of kilometers traveled next year.
Some of the toll collectors said that it would be too risky to remove the toll booths all at once and suggested the government should phase the program in gradually
They also said that the government should not compromise the interests of motorists by seeking to introduce a universal electronic toll collection (ETC) system just for the sake of being the first country in the world to adopt such a system on all national freeways.
According to the Freeway Bureau’s contract with Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection (FETC), toll collectors will be given five different five-month severance packages to choose from, as well as seniority-based compensation and a new job at FETC or companies owned by FETC’s shareholders.
Some have complained that the new jobs offered by FETC are far from ideal, requiring a certain educational level or work experience.
They said that FETC had mainly provided jobs in customer services or as sales representatives at ETC system stores, which were completely different to their current work. As a result, several people have quit after failing to adjust to the new work styles.
FETC spokesperson Lang Ya-ling (郎亞玲) said the company’s four shareholders are public trading enterprises and set their own employment standards. She said that the company would need a lot more personnel next year. As experts in how the system works in practice, she encouraged toll collectors to work for FETC.
The National Freeway Bureau will provide training to approximately 1,000 toll collectors currently in service to help them adapt to the switch in career.
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