Taxi fares in Taipei, New Taipei City and Keelung are to be increased for the first time in seven years in October, when they are expected to rise by about 14 percent on average.
Taipei’s Public Transportation Office said that the NT$70 fee for the first 250m is to remain unchanged, but the NT$5 charged for every additional 250m is to be accrued every 200m after the changes take effect.
Also, the amount charged on the meter when a taxi sits idle in traffic is to be adjusted to NT$5 for every 80 seconds rather than the current NT$5 for every 100 seconds.
Under the new fare structure, a taxi ride from Taipei City Hall to New Taipei City Hall is expected to cost NT$413, not including any additional costs for idle time, a 19.7 percent rise from the current NT$345.
The city estimated that the average fare would rise by about 14 percent.
Other cities could follow suit after the taxi fare hike in northern Taiwan.
Kaohsiung, which has also not adjusted its taxi fares in the past seven years, is to discuss with Tainan whether to adjust taxi prices in the two southern municipalities before the end of the year. Taxis operate jointly in the two areas.
A taxi drivers’ union in Taichung said the municipality has not raised taxi fares in about a decade, and while the union has yet to reach a consensus on the issue, it plans to meet again early next month to decide whether to push for a fare increase.
Taoyuan, which raised taxi fares last year, is not expected to impose further increases this year.
Meanwhile, bus fares in Taipei are also expected to be raised early next year. Fares are to be charged based on the distance traveled rather than a standard NT$15 fee for riding an extra section beyond the standard distance.
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