The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) yesterday officially became the state-run Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC), with the management of the newly established firm vowing to provide a safe and efficient service.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) and other officials attended the inauguration ceremony, unveiling the new sign for the nation’s oldest and largest railway system, which has been in operation since 1887.
Tsai said that TRA carried a heavy financial burden because it was charged to operate many unprofitable routes, adding that the significant amount of pension fund contributions that had to be distributed to TRA employees as well as the agency’s asset management added further economic expenses.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
The plan to corporatize the railway agency was proposed in 2002 and was scheduled to be completed in 2004, but it did not materialize until after two major fatal derailments in 2018 and 2021, which convinced the public that a comprehensive reform at the agency was necessary.
“It took more than 20 years for the TRA to become a state-run railway corporation. The government had been trying to find the best solutions to minimize the impact of the systematic change on workers while reforming the agency to ensure a safe and stable operation,” Tsai said.
“We thank the families of victims for helping the railway agency transform into a state-run company and push for safety reform,” she said.
The government would continue to subsidize the railway firm to relieve its financial burden and help it develop its properties to ensure efficient, sustainable and safe operations, Tsai said.
TRC chairman Du Wei (杜微) said the company has to raise ticket prices, adding that the prices have not been adjusted for more than 20 years.
“We will make sure that safety and service issues are addressed first, but we begin studying
ticketing-related issues this year. We will also gauge the public’s attitude and suggestions before making any change,” Du said.
The TRA had accumulated a short-term debt of about NT$170 billion (US$5.5 billion), which would now be repaid by a fund established solely for the purpose of servicing the debt, Du added.
“The company now starts from square one. We will pay special attention to our financial
soundness… The company’s cash flow is projected to turn positive by 2026. As for the accounting, the financial statement is expected to turn from a loss to a profit in 2028 due to huge depreciation write-offs,” he said.
Du also said that the company has a staffing shortage of about 1,000 to 1,100 people, adding that the staff would soon be replenished with new employees recruited during the second half of next year.
New employees would undergo intensive educational training before they can officially be placed on duty, he said.
As the Taiwan Railway Union is scheduled to vote on whether to go on strike during the Lunar New Year holiday, Du said that the company would negotiate with the union as quickly as possible.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
RSS