Taipei Proposes MRT Early Bird Ticket Plan to Divert Neihu Traffic 北市提內湖交通解方 北捷早晚鳥票分流

The traffic in Neihu has been a longtime issue that remains to be solved. Taipei City established a special task force to discuss possible solutions in response to this problem, among which the Taipei MRT plans to issue early bird tickets at a 60 percent discount to divert traffic. Hoping to attract more people to take the MRT to commute to work instead. With respect to this, the Taipei City Department of Transportation said diverting traffic through early bird MRT tickets is one of the proposed plans under consideration, but details and timing of actual implementation remain to be discussed.

Work commute congestion is beyond comprehension in Neihu. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an set up a special task force, where Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan invited relevant units to discuss initial proposals for the first time in January. Taipei MRT plans to issue early bird MRT tickets to divert traffic, with ticket prices possibly boasting a 60 percent discount, trying to attract commuters to take the MRT.

Citizen: “That is quite a big appeal. A 60 percent discount alone will attract many people to take the MRT instead. What would have cost one thousand something NT dollars a month will only cost NT$400 to NT$500.”

Citizen: “That is very convenient; it's highly discounted and people will not run into traffic, should work. Or else everyone is always stuck in traffic there.”

People regard it favorably as such a blessing for commuters. For example, the price of a single trip between Zhongxiao Dunhua Station and Gangqian Station currently is NT$30. With 22 working days a month, it costs NT$1,320 but with a 60 percent discount, it costs NT$528, saving NT$792. As a result, a commuter can save almost NT$10,000 in a year. Taipei MRT pointed out that whether early bird tickets will happen depends on a discussion by the Department of Transportation, after which a special task force will continue to discuss.

Hsieh Ming-hong, Commissioner, Department of Transportation, Taipei City: “We have in fact proposed a draft, using ticket price discrepancy during peak rush hours. But as for the actual ticket price and time, we do not yet have a confirmed plan.”

To relieve Neihu Technology Park traffic, the Taipei City Department of Economic Development will also visit businesses to promote flexible work hours or adopt leapfrogging buses, where businesses calculate the number of employees and designate a specific bus route to transport them to and from work. Thereby, it can reduce the use of private automobiles.

上班族通勤，內湖交通塞到不行。台北市長蔣萬安成立專案小組，副市長李四川1月首度邀相關單位討論初步方案。台北捷運將研擬早晚鳥票分流，傳出可提供票價4折優惠，吸引民眾改搭捷運通勤。

民眾認為：「應該（吸引力）還滿大，光4折就會有滿多人願意就是做分流。應該1個月可能原本1000多塊，如果打4折的話，可能就400、500塊。」

民眾表示：「這樣子很方便啊，它有優惠又不會遇到塞車，應該是可行啦。因為不然這樣子，大家都永遠每次都塞在那邊。」

通勤族小確幸，民眾樂觀其成。舉例來說，以往返忠孝敦化站和港墘站試算，現行票價單趟30元，以上班日22天估算，每月1320元；若採4折優惠只要付528元，省下792元，1年可以省下近萬元。北捷指出，是否推出早晚鳥票相關規畫，將於交通局討論後，於專案小組會議討論。

台北市交通局長謝銘鴻表示：「我們的確有提出一個草案的構想，就是利用捷運的尖離峰，是不是有做一些差別的費率。費率以及時間，我們目前還沒有確切的方案。」

紓緩內科塞車，北市產發局也將拜訪各企業，推廣彈性上下班分流；也可採用跳蛙公車，由企業統計人數指定公車路線，載送員工上下班，也能減少使用私人運具。