Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) yesterday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reforming the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA), one day after Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) met with family members of people killed in a Taroko Express train crash in Hualien County in April last year.
Wang said that safety and organizational improvements are being implemented, following the incident in which a train hit a crane truck that had fallen from a construction site onto the tracks near the Cingshuei Tunnel (清水隧道).
The crash, which left 49 people dead and more than 200 injured, led to renewed calls for the TRA to be transformed from a government agency into a state-run corporation.
Photo: CNA
When taking office shortly after the crash, Wang pledged to complete the TRA’s corporatization in three years.
Wang yesterday said he would continue to hold meetings with TRA employees to better understand their concerns over the agency’s potential reform.
Meetings with staff “willing to consider the need for change” are scheduled in central and southern Taiwan next week, he said.
There would be no salary cuts and no TRA employees would lose their benefits, he said.
Experts say that the ministry’s attempts to improve railway safety are not proceeding smoothly.
The ministry last year announced that it would for the first time ever hire railway track inspectors who would be tasked with detecting incursions.
However, only 12 people applied for the 16 job openings, of whom the ministry hired two, the ministry said, adding that they are scheduled to start their jobs next month.
Wang’s statement came one day after a contentious first-ever meeting between Su and a self-help association established by family members of people killed in the crash.
Citing difficulties arranging a meeting on part of the premier, the association last month posted a “missing” notice with Su’s face on its Web site.
After the meeting, the group’s lawyer, Chen Meng-hsiu (陳孟秀), said that no concrete conclusions had been reached, but added that the family members were willing to give the government more time to act, despite their patience being tested.
The association asked the government to disclose its plans and timetable for TRA reform, saying that a mechanism to supervise the agency should be set up in which the family members would also play a role.
The Executive Yuan said it would “review” the proposal.
Meanwhile, Su accepted the association’s proposal that part of the Taroko Express’ wreckage be moved to the TRA headquarters as a reminder of the importance of railway safety.
Su apologized on behalf of the government, but told the association that it had always been open to public criticism.
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