Professional drivers of large commercial vehicles aged 65 or older can drive no more than eight hours per day after amendments to the Transportation Management Regulations (汽車運輸業管理規則) and Road Traffic Security Rules (道路交通安全規則) take effect today.
The changes allow drivers of large commercial vehicles to keep their licenses up to the age of 68, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, adding that the changes were intended to address a shortage of professional drivers resulting from an aging population.
The amendments would allow the number of people driving large commercial vehicles to increase by about 3,000 per year, the ministry said.
Changes to Article 19-7 of the Transportation Management Regulations require transportation businesses to follow stricter rules when dispatching drivers aged 65 or older, the ministry said, adding that a two-month public consultation period was held prior to implementation of the changes.
Drivers aged 65 or older must not drive more than eight hours per day and they must take a 30-minute break after three consecutive hours of driving, it said.
They need to have at least a 10-hour break after working two consecutive days and their duties should take place between 6am and 6pm, the ministry added.
While tour bus operators can dispatch drivers aged 65 or older to drive shuttle buses for schools or companies, freeway bus operators must not dispatch them to drive through more than one city or county, the ministry said.
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