While about 66 percent of motorcyclists said they would not switch to public transport despite the government’s moves to regulate motorcycle use, 34 percent of motorcyclists said they would start taking public transport if the government made it more easily accessible, a survey by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications showed.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
“Making public transport more available and easily accessible, rather than stipulating strict measures to curb the use of motorcycles, would make people more willing to take public transport and slow the rise of private vehicle use,” the ministry said in a report.
The survey also found that more than 44 percent of respondents supported making the motorcycle license driving test more difficult.
The proposal gained the highest approval rating among residents in northern Taiwan and among young people.
LICENSING TEST
More than 50 percent of respondents supported the proposal that people should take motorcycle riding training before they are allowed to take the license test.
Close to 60 percent of respondents said that people riding motorcycles with an engine displacement of 50cc or less should be asked to take both the written test and the driving test to get a license, rather than just the written test.
SAFETY CONCERNS
They added that people who have a driver’s license for small passenger vehicles should not automatically be licensed to ride motorcycles of 50cc or less, which is allowed by the current policy.
The responses showed that most motorcyclists expect aspiring riders to be educated on how to maneuver motorcycles and to learn the necessary skills to ride safely, the ministry said.
Motorcycle-use statistics from last year showed that each rider travels an average of 11.5km, 4.9 days each week.
These numbers were lower than the 2011 survey results.
The survey showed that 56.3 percent of motorcyclists commute to work or to school.
Those who use motorcycles for shopping accounted for 21.5 percent.
DAILY COMMUTE
When asked why people chose to ride motorcycles to work or to school, 52.3 percent said it gave them flexibility and the ability to engage in other activities.
About 17 percent said it reduced their daily commute time, and 14.1 percent said that taking the public transport system is inconvenient.
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