TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) on Monday (Nov. 18) addressed the critical shortage of bus drivers, emphasizing the city's firm stance that public transportation safety must remain uncompromised, after a significant bus collision that occurred a day earlier.
Chiang stated that he immediately took control of the situation after the accident, instructing various departments to respond effectively, and ensured that the education, social welfare, and tourism departments supported any foreign tourists involved.
He directed the city's Department of Health (北市衛生局) to focus on treating the injured, the city's Department of Transportation (交通局) to demand accountability from the operators, and the Taipei City Police Department (北市警察局) to investigate the cause of the incident.
The city government has initiated several measures to tackle the driver shortage. These include expanding recruitment, offering retention subsidies, optimizing bus routes, and eliminating ineffective routes. Future plans involve retraining programs, excluding unsuitable drivers, and enhancing training for new drivers.
Chiang also mandated that bus operators take responsibility, imposing the maximum penalty under the Highway Act (公路法) on the two companies involved in the collision. He further instructed the Taipei City Public Transportation Office (交通局公運處) a thorough review and improvement plan from the operators regarding the incident.