Bus operators will be required to install electronic information systems on board their fleets and at bus stops after the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) passed an amendment to the Regulations Governing the Management of the Motor Transportation Industry (汽車運輸業管理規則) last week.
Department of Railways and Highways Director-General Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) said the development of the system would be entirely funded by the government.
Inner-city bus operators in Taipei, New Taipei City (新北市), Greater Taichung, Greater Tainan, Greater Kaohsiung and nine other cities are required to complete installation of the system by the end of this year, while highway bus operators would do so by the end of next year, he said.
Under the amendment, passengers must be able to identify bus routes, the names of bus stops, timetables and changes to schedules on bus stop signage.
Operators will also be required to upload all this information onto an electronic system so that passengers can check it online or when they are on a bus.
Chen said the system would let passengers know when a bus will arrive, helping them to make better choices when using public transport.
It will also allow bus operators to supervise their operations by making sure that bus drivers are following schedules, he said.
In related news, the ministry said it would launch a safety awareness campaign targeting drivers of more powerful motorcycles, as statistics have showed that people driving motorcycles that are 550cc or larger are more likely to cause accidents in the A1 category — that is accidents leading to death at the scene or within 24 hours.
Using statistics from January through August, the ministry found that drivers of motorcycles of 550cc or larger had an accident rate of 1.6 per 10,000 vehicles, or 3.4 times more than those operating motorcycles below 550cc and 2.9 times more than small private car drivers.
The same pattern was also seen in the death rate. Those riding 550cc motorcycles have a death rate of about 2.04 per 10,000 vehicles, which was 4.2 times higher than for those operating motorcycles below 550c and 3.4 times higher than drivers of small private cars.
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