TAIPEI (TVBS News) — New Taipei Deputy Mayor Liu Ho-jan confirmed during a City Council meeting on Tuesday that the use of senior cards tailored for the elderly and persons with disabilities will be expanded in 2024.
Starting next January, the cards will cover usage in the rapid transit line connecting to the Taoyuan Airport (Airport MRT) while providing access to other public transport like YouBike and cabs after completing system adjustments by July.
The card extension comes after facing contested voices concerning issues of limited card use from the Kuomintang (KMT) Secretary-General Liao Xianxiang and KMT Councilor Chen Weijie, who both appealed to the government about expanding its capacity so the remaining 480 points wouldn't go to waste every month.
New Taipei City KMT Councilor Chiang I-chen also called for greater accessibility for a local population of 710,000 older people, with 170,000 with disabilities, provided that the changes incurred due to expanded card use are financially affordable.
KMT Councilor Ye Yuan-zhi highlighted the importance of guarding the well-being of the elderly as he stated the purpose of senior cards should reflect their full utility and not be limited by budget constraints.