TAIPEI (TVBS News)—The Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MOTC, 交通部) will present the TPASS 2.0 plan in the Legislative Yuan (立法院) on Wednesday (July 10). The plan, which will be piloted by the end of December, aims to introduce periodic tickets valid for up to 14 days.
The Executive Yuan (行政院) has allocated NT$20 billion over three years to support particular budgets for the post-pandemic period. Since July 1 last year, the TPASS monthly commuter pass has been available in 11 counties and cities in Taiwan, offering 30% to 50% discounts on various public transport options.
A total of 19 counties and cities have launched 24 kinds of monthly pass programs. Penghu County plans to implement its monthly pass program in August, while Yilan County will introduce a NT$2,300 monthly pass in September. As of June 30, 76.88 million people have purchased monthly passes, with approximately 574 million trips made using these passes.
From July last year to April this year, the average monthly usage of public transport in counties with the pass increased by 12.7% compared to the same period before the implementation of TPASS. Notably, the Kaohsiung-Pingtung area saw a 20.5% increase in ridership, with public bicycles experiencing the highest growth at 23.8%.
The TPASS monthly pass, launched in July last year, has already met its annual ridership growth targets. The MOTC plans to present a follow-up plan by the end of this year, aiming to provide convenient and cost-effective public transport options for citizens.