The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) plans to expand ticket price discounts offered to passengers transferring between railways and highway bus services during holidays next year to encourage the use of public transportation.
MOTC Minister Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) is to brief legislators on the Transportation Committee today about the ministry’s operations, with the discount plan being a top priority in his briefing, the ministry said.
The ministry is to continue giving special offers to freeway bus passengers or those transferring between freeway buses and local bus services during holidays next year, Department of Railways and Highways Deputy Director-General Chang Shun-ching (張舜清) said.
It would also enlarge the scheme to include passengers transferring between railway systems and highway or local bus services, Chang said.
When and how the special offers would be implemented required further deliberation among ministry officials, Chang said.
Subsidies would be given first to passengers transferring between newly built railways and existing highway bus services due to budget limitations, Directorate-General of Highways Director-General Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) said.
Subsidies would subsequently be offered to local bus services in cities and counties where local governments have planned to integrate public transport systems, Chen said.
The ministry is implementing a similar scheme for the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday: Between 12pm tomorrow and 12am on Tuesday next week, freeway bus passengers on 86 designated middle and long-distance freeway bus routes are to receive a 15 percent discount on tickets.
They can transfer to highway buses or local buses free of charge if they use electronic tickets, such as EasyCard or iPass.
The special scheme does not apply to local buses in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan or Nantou County due to insufficient processing time.
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