The Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) yesterday stepped up efforts to alleviate the crush on the MRT system along the often-overcrowded Wenhu line, dispatching five larger-capacity Neihu (內湖)-bound trains in a row during peak hours and reducing the time between trains to less than one minute.
The company said that the first of the five trains arrived at MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing station at approximately 8:20am, just in time for peak volume.
The five trains are made up of cars produced by the French company Matra and feature a blue roof and yellow seats, while the smaller-capacity Bombardier models, which are usually used on the line, have blue seats and a grey roof, the TRTC said, adding that the two models have previously been used interchangeably.
Photo: CNA
To further boost efficiency, a sixth train of Bombardier carriages was dispatched from MRT Taipei Zoo Station, but skipping five stops before discharging and picking up passengers at MRT Liuzhangli Station, while a limited-stop Muzha (木柵)-bound service was added between 6pm and 7pm that only began to pick up passengers at MRT Gangqian Station, TRTC said.
The addition of more trains followed last week’s implementation of a shorter peak-hour waiting time, which reduced the wait from 85 seconds to 80 seconds in the hopes of “emptying the platforms,” the company said.
TRTC medium capacity transport division director Chuang Ying-chen (莊英震) said that the reduced waiting time includes the time a train stops at each station, meaning passengers wait less than one minute before the next train arrives.
These measures are expected to help transport about 1,800 more passengers during peak hours, he said.
Passenger volume on the line is the heaviest from the Zhongxiao Fuxing to Zhongshan Senior High School stations during peak hours, with the largest number of passengers, about 14,000, recorded along the section from Zhongxiao Fuxing to Nanjing Fuxing, Chuang said.
If the new measures do not sufficiently alleviate passenger buildup, the company might consider removing some carriage seats to create more standing room, he said.
Only one seat is removable on the Bombardier carriages because power equipment is under the other seats, but all the seats on the Matra models can be removed, which would allow each carriage to hold 20 to 30 more passengers, Chuang said.
However, many commuters interviewed yesterday said that they could not see any difference in rush-hour services, with some saying the waiting time between trains is always shorter during rush hour.
None said they felt station platforms were less crowded, with some complaining that they could not get in the carriages on the first train after their arrival at a station and had to wait for the next one.
The TRTC recommended that people use the carriages closer to the front and back of trains to avoid the crush in the middle sections and having to wait for another train.
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