A new freeway traffic forecasting system is set to be introduced next year to provide motorists more precise and real-time information on travel conditions, the National Freeway Bureau said.
The forecasts, which will be incorporated into the newly launched electronic toll system, will be able to analyze quickly the traffic flow on freeways and give drivers a heads-up, bureau Deputy Director-General Wu Mu-fu (吳木富) said.
The freeway forecast will be more accurate than a weather forecast, Wu said.
The new toll collection system, which charges motorists based on the distance traveled instead of tollbooth collection points they pass through, was launched in December last year. The use of tollbooths was replaced with an automated system that scans each vehicle’s electronic toll collection (ETC) tag when it enters and exits Freeway No. 1, No. 3 or No. 5.
With the help of the system, the bureau can quickly process the more than 13 million transactions — or vehicles registered on the freeways — each day to predict traffic conditions on weekdays and weekends, Wu said.
For example, the system will be able to tell the bureau how many vehicles are on which section of the freeways at any given time. It can then relay the information to motorists, Wu said, adding that parts of the project is still under development.
Since vehicles will be examined based on the codes assigned to them — instead of their license plates — motorists need not be concerned about privacy leaks, Wu said.
The original match-up details will be used by the company operating the electronic toll collection system, and the data the bureau receives will be encoded, Wu added.
Any third party trying to access that information needs to apply for it, he said, without elaborating.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS