Northern bus Association plans to cut bus schedule / 北部多家客運 擬8月起假日部分減班　　　　　　　　　　

The Ministry of Labor announced that starting in August, workers cannot work 7 days a week continuously. The new law impacts the public transport industry. In response, the "Northern Taiwan Bus Operators Association" is planning to cut the number of buses on their schedule by half. Some routes will be canceled as well. Many people choose to use public transportation when traveling on holidays to avoid traffic congestion. However, starting in August, workers will not be allowed to work for 7 consecutive days without a day off. The new regulation will have a wide impact on the public transport industry. The northern Taiwan Bus Operator Association has passed the proposal to cut the number of buses on their schedule by half. Some routes will also be canceled. ==WU CHUNG-HSI, President, Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport== The new regulation makes it very difficult for us to schedule drivers. We want to comply with the law and service the customers, but we can't do so under the new regulation. Wu said that the public transport industry needs to be in operation all year round, and on main holidays they need even more crew. The new regulation that mandates at least one day off per week will make rostering difficult for the bus industry. The Directorate General of Highways said they would assist the bus industry in recruitment if they are understaffed and hopes the bus operators will not cancel their routes. ==LIN FU-SHAN, Executive Secretary, Directorate General of Highways== We understand their situation and have been trying to help bus operators with recruitment so that they can comply with the new regulation. We hope to achieve the balance between safe driving and service. Training new bus drivers will take time. Recruitment has been difficult because of the recent bus fire accident and the fact that young people nowadays are not willing to work in a stressful job. Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport urged the government to allow them the flexibility in rostering. The company also pledges to ensure the rights and benefits of its employees. TRANSLATED BY：CHRISTINA LIU 勞動部規定，從下個月開始，勞工，不能連上七天班，衝擊到客運業！北台灣、汽車客運業、工會聯合會，在週五 通過 提案。八月開始，北北基桃竹地區，10多家 客運業者，假日的「非黃金路線」班次將減半，部分 載客率比較低的路線，也會停駛。但 公路總局 表示，如果沒有在3到6個月前、提出報告就減班，將會開罰9千到9萬元。 公車一班接著一班，假日出遊易塞車，搭乘大眾運輸工具出遊最方便。不過因為勞動部通過8月起，勞工不得連上七天班，全面衝擊公共運輸業。北台灣汽車客運業工會聯合會，23號舉辦理監事會議，通過提案，八月起北北基桃竹地區共十幾家市區公車、公路客運、國道客運，假日的非黃金路線的班次將減半，部分載客率低、班次少的路線也將停駛。 ==國光客運總經理 吳忠錫== 坦白講(實施七休一) 我們排班調度非常困難 我不是不配合法令 而是我真的做不到 也不是說我不服務旅客 都不是 不是我們不願意 而是這種制度上 我就沒有辦法做到 吳忠錫表示，公共運輸業是全年無休的行業，在加上一年8到10次的重大節日，需要派遣更多人力支援，政府強制不得連上七天班，讓業者調度困難。而公路總局表示，如果有人力不足的問題，將會協助招募，也會在和業者溝通，希望不要貿然減班。 ==公路總局運管中心執秘 林福山== 公路總局的立場 那我們也一直在體恤 在幫助他們(客運業者) 募員(司機)作業 因應工時的一個規定的話 相關人力的補充 原則上我們都希望 在安全駕駛及服務 能夠取得一個平衡啦 客運司機養成不易，再加上現在年輕人不願意擔任勞力壓力大的工作，最近還受到火燒車影響，讓招募工作難上加難。國光客運呼籲政府，儘速恢復彈性排班的方式，更表示絕對不會影響勞工薪資與休假權益。 記者 李志華 張國樑 台北報導