Five Kaohsiung bus routes to close due to labor law / 例休人力缺 高雄東南客運5條路線將停駛　　　　　　　　　　

Among those effected by the new 1 fixed and 1 flex policy are also public bus operators. One in Kaoshiung decided to terminate 5 bus routes as an additional 30 drivers are needed after the new policy takes effect and the company just can't find that many people in time. The Kaohsiung City Government's Transportation Bureau has asked other bus companies to take over the routes. Bus route 50 in Kaohsiung runs to the downtown area. However, in response to the new labor law, the Southeast Bus Co., which owns the route until mid-February, decided to terminate its service, along with four other bus routes. ==HSIEH SAN-YUAN Dep. Chief Kaohsiung Southeast Bus== After the implementation of the policy, we have insufficient personnel. Since we are unable to recruit enough bus drivers, we chose to terminate some of our services. Giving up these routes allows us to continue our business without hiring more people. ==LOCAL RESIDENT== There will be a huge chain reaction. Seniors, students, and those who take the bus on a regular basis will be greatly affected. The bus company said that after the new law, they had to recruit over 30 bus drivers. Having difficulty in doing so, the company had no choice but to terminate its services. Kaohsiung City Government's Transportation Bureau therefore asked other bus companies to take over the routes. ==CHANG SHU-CHUAN Dep.-Dir. Kaohsiung City Transport Bureau== Existing bus companies will take over the routes. They are all very experienced. Last week, they finished preparing all the buses. The bus drivers are ready to start. The Transportation Bureau said that other bus companies will provide services for half a year to maintain passengers' rights. During this period, the bus schedule will remain the same. After half a year, the 5 routes will be permanently released for other bus companies to take over. TRANSLATED BY：ARIEL HSIEH 50號公車頻繁往來市區，這路線的公車目前由東南客運經營，不過二月中旬就要換人經營，東南客運因為一例一休，人力缺口補不齊，決定停駛50、52等市內5條公車路線。 ==高雄東南客運副站長 謝三元== 就是為了應付一例一休 增加人力的關係 而且又確實是招不到駕駛員 我不如就乾脆放掉(部分路線) 不要經營 就我原有的人力 在我放掉路線後就足夠用 ==民眾== (連鎖效應)一定會很大呀 因為像我本身家裡面有老人 然後我們又有學生 對於他們有在固定坐這種 大眾交通工具的部份 他們真的是影響也會蠻大的 業者說，一例一休上路後，他們得再補30幾名駕駛，短時間內根本招不到，才會忍痛向市府申請停駛，市府交通局也緊急協調其他業者接替。 ==高雄市交通局副局長 張淑娟== 我們都是由 既有的客運業者來接駛 所以它們在營運上 都非常的有經驗 然後所有的車輛 包括司機的準備 也都在上個禮拜完成 通局表示，其他客運業者，會接手東南客運停駛的路線半年的時間，這段期間班次、車距都不會更動。半年一到，5條路線就會釋出，讓有興趣的業者接手，不會影響民眾的搭車權益。 記者 王柔婷 孟昭權 高雄報導