Stored-value EasyCard deposits will be reduced from NT$200 to NT$100, David Chou (
"The decision to reduce the deposit by NT$100 was passed unanimously at a shareholder's meeting [yesterday]," Chou said.
Although he was unable to give a time-frame for when the money would be refunded to the approximately 1.4 million who have already purchased the card, or confirm the way in which it would be returned, Chou said that he had instructed the management team to come up with a suitable strategy as soon as possible.
"As soon as we know, we will let our customers know," he said.
The move was welcomed by Sun Li-chun (
"We think that this is the right direction for the company to be moving in," Sun said.
The NT$200 deposit was originally intended to reflect the cost of ticket production and provide passengers with an NT$100 emergency reserve, should they inadvertently exceed the disposable limit on their card.
Sun however dismissed such reasoning.
"Whoever heard of ticket costs being passed on to consumers in this way? Would you consider paying an extra NT$2 to cover the cost of a cinema ticket?" he said.
Sun said he had seen no systematic problems with the EasyCard system, and praised the added convenience it gave customers, although he expressed concerns about the method of reimbursement.
"It will be a trade-off between convenience for the consumer and security for the company," he said. "Technically speaking, it should be very easy, but the company must make sure that it does not leave a loophole open for people to try and claim NT$200 deposit back when they return their cards in a few years time," Sun said.
Consumers also reacted positively to the news.
"An NT$200 deposit is a bit steep," said 27-year old Hwang Yu-ru (
The IC-chip embedded EasyCard, first launched in June, allows users to access bus lines, Mass Rapid Transit trains and 33 parking lots in Taipei City, simply by touching the card to a sensing device. It retails for a minimum of NT$500, including the deposit.
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