Taiwan's first COVID-19 death was an unlicensed private hire vehicle driver. As he didn't have a legal taxi driver's license, the government was unable to supervise his vehicle like it does with making sure taxi drivers get surgical masks. Motor vehicle offices around Taiwan are strengthening efforts on this front.


This unlicensed private-hire taxi driver is pulling away from the train station when he is stopped by a motor vehicles inspector. The driver says he did not accept payment for his most recent ride.

Whether it's a set price or by meter or mileage -- I don't take passengers.

The passenger that just got out of the car says otherwise, and the driver is fined. The Kaohsiung Motor Vehicles Office says unlicensed taxi drivers are most often found at train stations, airports and tourist sites. There were 42 violations in Kaohsiung last year, and three drivers have been fined since the COVID-19 outbreak began.

Through the end of February this year, we have found three violations. There were two in January and a third yesterday. I think the government has confidence it will be able to get rid of illegal private-hire driving in the future.

Most unlicensed taxi drivers escape fines by driving only long-time customers or using messaging apps. The Tainan Motor Vehicles Office recently ordered several app companies to remove ride-hailing chat groups.

We found illegal drivers through chat groups that allow users to hail rides. After finding them, we notified Line Taiwan to get rid of these groups.

The Directorate-General of Highways has ordered heavier fines of up to NT$500,000 for individuals and NT$25 million for organizations for unlicensed private-hire driving. In addition, the DGH is offering NT$10,000 to NT$300,000 for reporting violators.



正要離開火車站的白牌車，被監理單位攔下，但駕駛辯稱沒有營業收費。

稽查人員vs.白牌車駕駛：「(喊價，或是跳表，或是算里程？) 我平常沒有載人。」

不過，監理單位訪查剛下車的乘客，確認白牌車營業事實進行裁罰，監理所表示，白牌車主要出沒在車站、機場和風景區，高雄市去年查獲42件，目前加強防堵疫情，已查獲三件。

高雄區監理所科長 榮沛華表示：「今年到二月分截止，我們取締了三件，也就是一月分取締的兩件，昨天也取締了一件，我想未來在針對白牌車，政府都有打擊這些非法的信心。」

查緝非法白牌車攬客，監理單位也從源頭下手，因為白牌車規避查緝，大多只接熟客，或是利用通訊軟體媒合叫車，台南監理站向上追出三個群組，發文聯絡相關軟體公司下架群組。

台南監理站長 方玉山表示：「查到非法營業是透過群組，讓民眾叫車，我們查到以後，我們就會通知台灣連線公司，把這個群組下架。」

防疫零死角，公路總局已指示防疫期間加重裁罰，白牌車遭查獲，個人最重可罰50萬元，法人部分最高2500萬元，另外，民眾若檢舉違規白牌車，將核發1萬到30萬元的檢舉獎金。