TAXI DRIVER RETIREMENT AGE EXTENDED TO 70|計程車駕駛年齡放寬 70歲運將可上路

The retirement age for taxi drivers has been revised upwards. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced that, from April at the soonest, the retirement age for taxi drivers will be raised from 68 to 70. The conditions for extending the professional driver's license are: passing a strict physical each year and also a cognitive function test to prove that there is no dementia. It is estimated at least 30,000 drivers will apply. ==Taipei City Shilin Motor Vehicles Office STAFF MEMBER and taxi driver Mr. HSU== Mr Hsu. We will do the eye test now. Repeating an eye test is an annual event for professional drivers over sixty. Each year they must go to the Motor Vehicles Office and undergo a rigorous physical examination, including blood pressure, chest X-ray, and ECG, etc., to confirm their health before their professional driver's license can be renewed, for one year. ==Taipei City Shilin Motor Vehicles Office STAFF MEMBER and taxi driver Mr. HSU== Next year, one month before or after your birthday, remember to come again because if it is over a year your professional license will be canceled. Previously the retirement age for professional taxi drivers was 68. This has now been raised to 70, due to considerations about an aging society and the fact that many drivers are still in good health at 68. For many elderly taxi drivers this is good news. ==MR LEE taxi driver== I still want to drive and serve society, in fact I drive even more carefully now that I am older, I care more about safety. The MOTC said that other countries do not have specific upper age limits for taxi drivers, including europe, the US and Japan, as long as they pass physicals, they can continue to drive. However, in Singapore, the upper age limit is 73 years. As it is a similar country to Taiwan, this was taken into consideration by the MOTC when raising the age limit. ==CHAO JIAN-WEI Chief, MOTC vehicle control section== We will raise the standard for physical, the sleep quality index, the PSQI assessment and the ECG exercise test, also blood and urine blood correlation tests, as well as driver's cognitive function test or a document confirming that there are no signs of dementia. After passing a rigorous physical elderly taxi drivers can continue to work. Those with heart conditions or slow reactions will find it hard to pass the test. The MOTC said the legislation would be amended by the end of march and the new age limit implemented by April 1. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 計程車駕駛的年齡限制，將要放寬！交通部宣布，最快從四月一號起，計程車駕駛年齡，將從68歲，延長到70歲，不過條件是，每年要檢測通過嚴格體檢，另外還要檢附認知功能測驗證明，證明沒有罹患失智症，才能夠換發或延長職業駕照。推估至少3萬名駕駛適用。 ==士林監理站工作人員 vs 高齡職業駕駛 許先生== 來 許先生 現在我們來檢查視力喔 反覆視力檢查，年過六十的高齡職業駕駛，每年都得回監理站換照，而在換照前，還得通過嚴格的體檢，包括血壓、胸部X光、心電圖等，確認身體沒問題，才會換發，效期1年的職業駕照。 ==士林監理站工作人員 vs 高齡職業駕駛 許先生== 這是明年您生日前後一個月 要記得回來 再做一次審驗喔 超過一年 會被註銷你的職業資格 過去高齡職業小客車駕駛，年齡限制最高68歲，不過，考量高齡化社會，年過68歲，身體依舊硬朗的人不少．交通部宣布，最快從四月一號起，職業駕駛年齡，將從68歲，放寬為70歲，對於不少面臨屆退的老駕駛來說，可說是天大好消息。 ==高齡計程車駕駛 李先生== 還想繼續開 還想為社會服務 我們年紀大反而更小心 更注意安全 交通部表示，其實世界各國針對職業小客車駕駛，並沒有年齡限制，包括歐洲,美國與日本，只要通過體檢就能繼續開，不過，亞洲國家新加坡，則設有73歲的年齡限制，由於和台灣國情相似，因此交通部，這次放寬職業駕駛年齡限制，就是參考新加坡。 ==交通部監理科長 趙晉緯== 體格標準的部份 我們會增加進行 所謂的睡眠品質的 PSQI的問卷評估 然後進行運動心電圖的檢查 還包含尿液血液 生化的相關檢驗 他還必須要通過 駕駛人認知功能的測驗 或是未患失智症的證明文件 通過嚴格體檢才可繼續開車營業，因此有心臟病史或反應變慢，要過關不容易。交通部表示，新制將在三月底前完成修法，最快，四月一號就會上路。 記者 黃立偉 張梓嘉 台北報導