The Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection Co said over the weekend that the usage rate of the electronic toll collection (ETC) system has exceeded 75 percent, the threshold set by the government for the implementation of a “pay-as-you-go” freeway toll policy.
The company previously used an on-board unit — containing a card and cardholder — to collect freeway tolls that motorists had to pay to have installed in their vehicles.
The ETC system’s usage rate remained nearly stagnant for several years.
However, last year, the company introduced a free-of-charge toll-collecting “eTag” as a way to boost the system’s usage rate.
As of Friday, the number of eTag users exceeded 3.3 million.
The figure means that the company has met its target more than six months earlier than the date it set for itself in the solutions it proposed to the National Freeway Bureau, which said that it would distribute 3.3 million free eTags for freeway users some time before December this year.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced that it would implement a pay-as-you-go policy for freeway users in the second half of this year. One of the thresholds for the policy to be implemented was that the ETC usage rate must exceed 65 percent.
According to the company, three out of every four motor vehicles on the nation’s freeways use ETC toll-collecting lanes.
Last month, Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) said that drivers on north-to-south freeways would be granted 20km toll-free when the nation implements the freeway toll-collecting policy in August or September.
He also said that people driving on east-to-west freeways would not be required to pay toll fees for now, adding that the ministry would review the measures after two or three years.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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