The nation's biggest telecom operator, Chunghwa Telecom Co, yesterday said the company had agreed to temporarily co-manage the operation of the nation's first electronic toll collection system.
"In the interim period we will help to ensure the system continues to operate properly, but we don't plan to invest in the business," said Chang Feng-hsiung (張豐雄), a spokesman for Chunghwa Telecom, in a phone interview.
More talks would be held to decide the details, Chang said, adding that Chunghwa Telecom owned the technology to operate the system.
Chunghwa Telecom had planned to run the electronic toll system in 1998, but was unable to tap into the lucrative business as the idea was rejected by lawmakers, according to Chang. The system has been run by Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection Co.
But the company's status as the "most qualified candidate" for the highway ETC system was revoked following a ruling by the Administrative Supreme Court on Thursday.
Far Eastern yesterday said it was willing to co-run the electronic toll collection system with Chunghwa Telecom during the transitional period.
Battered by disputes and criticism, the firm suggested on May 22 that the government take over the management of the system to "ensure the interests and rights of the system's 210,000 users," Far Eastern said in a press release issued yesterday.
The firm stressed that if the government decides to reopen bidding to select another operator, the firm would need to consult with its four shareholders on whether to bid again to run the system.
"Currently we have yet to reach a decision," the statement said.
If Far Eastern decides to drop out of the bidding, ETC users would have to change their on-board units.
Far Eastern claimed it had invested nearly NT$3 billion (US$91.27 million) during the first six months of operations.
The firm has allowed users to claim a full refund, but as of 4pm yesterday just 15 consumers had chosen to take their money back, it said.
At the same time, 123 consumers applied for device installation and 1,037 users added value to their ETC cards.
An alleged US government plan to encourage Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to form a joint venture with Intel to boost US chipmaking would place the Taiwanese foundry giant in a more disadvantageous position than proposed tariffs on imported chips, a semiconductor expert said yesterday. If TSMC forms a joint venture with its US rival, it faces the risk of technology outflow, said Liu Pei-chen (劉佩真), a researcher at the Taiwan Industry Economics Database of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research. A report by international financial services firm Baird said that Asia semiconductor supply chain talks suggest that the US government would
Starlux Airlines on Tuesday announced it is to launch new direct flights from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Ontario, California, on June 2. The carrier said it plans to deploy the new-generation Airbus A350 on the Taipei-Ontario route. The Airbus A350 features a total of 306 seats, including four in first class, 26 in business class, 36 in premium economy and 240 in economy. According to Starlux’s initial schedule, four flights would run between Taoyuan and Ontario per week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Flights are to depart from Taoyuan at 8:05pm and arrive in California at 5:05pm (local time), while return flights
Nearly 800 Indian tourists are to arrive this week on an incentive tour organized by Indian company Asian Painted Ltd, making it the largest tour group from the South Asian nation to visit since the COVID-19 pandemic. The travelers are scheduled to arrive in six batches from Sunday to Feb. 25 for five-day tours, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The tour would take the travelers, most of whom are visiting Taiwan for the first time, to several tourist sites in Taipei and Yilan County, including tea houses in Taipei’s Maokong (貓空), Dadaocheng (大稻埕) and Ximending (西門町) areas. They would also visit
HOSPITAL VISITS: Shin Kong Mitsukoshi pledged to give the families of the four people who died NT$11m each and provide support for staff working at the time The central government would assist local governments to enhance public safety, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday as he visited people in hospital who were injured in an explosion at a department store in Taichung on Thursday. A suspected gas explosion occurred on the 12th floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Zhonggang department store in Taichung at 11:33am on Thursday, killing four people and injuring 36. Of the 40 casualties, 39 were hospitalized, Ministry of Health and Welfare data showed. Three died after out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, the data showed. As of 6am yesterday, 25 of those injured had been discharged from hospital, leaving 11