Monthly Transportation Pass Targets 3 Regions 交通部「公共運輸月票」補助 鎖定3生活圈

The Executive Yuan approved the Public Transportation Ticket Plan on the 23rd, creating a monthly transportation pass for Northern, Central, and Southern Taiwan. Currently, the subsidy will be implemented for 3 years. Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen said the monthly pass should be extended to other counties and cities in the future. 

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is promoting a monthly transportation pass, with a budget of NT$20 billion, for Northern, Central, and Southern Taiwan. The Executive Yuan approved the Public Transportation Ticket Plan on the 23rd. The transportation monthly pass is currently being subsidized for three years. The monthly pass is about NT$1,200 in Greater Taipei. A rider can use the pass to take city buses, inter-city buses, MRT, Taiwan Railway, and public bicycles.

Chen Chien-jen, Premier: “We will also have relative subsidies for other counties and cities, such as Yilan, Hsinchu, Hualien, and Taitung.”

Wang Kwo-tsai, Minister, MOTC: “Everyone knows that the monthly pass is NT$1,200 for Greater Taipei, Keelung, and Taoyuan, which has been agreed already. The two regions of Taichung, Changhwa, Nantou, Miaoli, and Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung have both submitted their proposal.”

The monthly pass for Central and Southern Taiwan is expected to be divided into two types: one for inter-city commuting and one for intra-city commuting. Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen is optimistic about its success. She also suggested the pass be expanded to all eight counties and cities on the Central Taiwan Regional Governance Platform.

Lu Shiow-yen, Taichung City Mayor: “I also hope that the central government can assist if the pass is expanded. Minister Wang said he would give such support.”

There is less public transportation in Southern and Central Taiwan compared to the north. Thus, the public transportation utilization rate is relatively low. It is necessary to increase incentives to attract users. DPP legislator Hsu Chih-chieh said that the train is an important public transportation and he will propose to include Taiwan Railway in the monthly pass. In addition, Hsinchu City and County have proposed a plan, and so has Yilan. Meanwhile, Yunlin County, Chiayi City, and Chiayi County have jointly proposed a regional monthly pass, hoping to receive subsidies from the central government.

Tsai Yi-yu, Legislator (DPP): “We hope to get more inter-city buses or shuttle buses and other transport. So talking about a monthly pass now is a bit too early without these infrastructures.”

Legislator Tsai Yi-yu believes what Chiayi needs most right now is not a monthly pass subsidy, but to upgrade and increase the number of hardware and frequency of passenger transportation. In this regard, Premier Chen said that through special projects, counties and cities that need public transportation networks will be strengthened. Commuting plans will also be planned according to local conditions. 

交通部推動地方交通月票，編列200億元預算，行政院23日拍板通過「通勤通學公共運輸票證方案」，針對北北基桃、中彰投苗、南高屏等3大生活圈，發行交通月票，目前規劃補助執行3年，以北北基桃月票為例，採單一訂價，月票約1200元，可搭乘公車、客運、捷運、台鐵及公共自行車。

行政院長陳建仁表示：「其他的縣市，我們像是宜蘭或者是新竹，或者是這個花蓮跟台東，我們也會有相對的補助。」

交通部長王國材說明：「北北基桃，大家知道就是1200元的月票，這個大部分已經有共識，那中彰投苗還有南高屏，他們事實上都提出他的方案。」

至於中彰投苗、南高屏的月票預計區分城際通勤、都市內通勤兩種月票，台中市長盧秀燕樂觀其成，也向中央建議，把月票擴大到中台灣區域治理平台的8縣市。

台中市長盧秀燕提議：「那如果說是擴大的話，那也希望中央能夠協助，那這部分王國材部長表示說他會樂觀其成。」

針對中南部生活圈的公共運輸較北部少，大眾交通運輸使用率偏低，要獲得民眾青睞，勢必得增加搭乘誘因，民進黨立委許智傑表示，火車是重要大眾運輸，會提議將台鐵納入月票；此外，新竹市、新竹縣提出竹竹方案，宜蘭也有方案，而雲林縣、嘉義市、嘉義縣則攜手提出「雲嘉嘉月票」，期盼獲得中央補助。

民進黨立委蔡易餘指出：「希望可以爭取更多的類似客運或者是接駁車，這樣硬體的東西要多一點，所以現在就講月票，有一點就是還不會飛、還不會走路就想要飛。」

蔡易餘認為，嘉義現在最需要的不是月票補助，而是提升硬體，增加客運的數量、班次，對此，陳建仁表示，會透過專案，加強需要公共運輸路網的縣市，也會因地制宜規劃通勤方案。