TRA's Dual Driver System Goes Into Effect|普悠瑪.太魯閣號 今起全面採用雙駕駛制

Following the Puyuma derailment accident, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has announced that all tilting trains, including Taroko class and Puyuma class trains, would be staffed by two drivers as of 30th October.


This train is traveling from Hualien Station to Shulin Station. There is a driver as well as a secondman in the tiny cab. The secondman provides assistance to the driver by confirming signals and dealing with malfunctions. On Oct. 21, a Taiwan Railways Administration Puyuma class train derailed, killing 18 passengers. The train was experiencing problems and only had one driver, so the driver had to simultaneously pilot the train and fix the issues. Following the accident, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced that all Tze-chiang tilting trains, which include Taroko class and Puyuma class trains, would henceforth be piloted by two drivers.

We are using employees who are trainee drivers. Trainee drivers already have the required basic training but need greater practical experience.

Administrative Deputy Transportation and Communications Minister Chi Wen-jong says the two-driver system will be required for all tilting trains until the TRA determines there are no issues with the automatic train protection system, which is thought to be implicated in the accident. This means all drivers will be accompanied by trainee drivers. In the past, new TRA employees had to undergo 23 to 24 months of training before they could become drivers. This new system will allow trainee drivers to understand the TRA's workflow faster. There are currently 238 trainee drivers who will become drivers in January.

Having two drivers can help to share non-essential work responsibilities, and the co-pilot can provide timely assistance.

The 26 groups are being changed to dual drivers, which will inevitably affect the assignment of personnel for other regularly scheduled trains.

There are currently 18 driver groups for Puyuma class trains and eight driver groups for Taroko class trains. The TRA estimates at least 57 additional personnel will be required on any given day, which will lead to an increased NT$ 125,400 in personnel costs. However, the Taiwan Railway Labor Union says resolving the TRA's long-standing labor shortage problem once and for all will require reducing the number of Puyuma class and Taroko class train services. It adds the safety of trains will not increase even if trainee drivers are added if this pressure remains.