Premier Chen Chien-jen on Thursday received briefings from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) on the status of the TPASS monthly commuter card policy and the Happiness Bus rural transportation policy. The premier directed the MOTC to assist more counties, cities and regions in launching services for TPASS—a new travel pass allowing one month of unlimited journeys across multiple modes of public transport—as soon as possible. The premier also instructed ministries and agencies to continue integrating public and private resources to expand Happiness Bus services, which provide accessible demand-responsive transport for remote and rural areas. These policies will allow all citizens to feel the government's strong support for their welfare, he said.
Since the launch of TPASS, over 560,000 passes have been purchased and the passes have been used on public transportation nearly 17 million times to date, illustrating the public's embrace of the policy, the premier said. In addition to easing people's financial burdens, TPASS is encouraging more people to ride on public transport, facilitating energy savings and carbon reduction, and helping to reduce overconcentration in urban areas.
Meanwhile, the Happiness Bus policy is advancing transportation equality and transportation justice for remote and rural communities, a key policy priority since the beginning of President Tsai Ing-wen's administration. People living in remote areas benefit from this high-quality and caring transportation service, while the infusion of private-sector resources and the adoption of public-private partnership models encourage local residents to remain in and serve their communities, thereby promoting regional revitalization, the premier said.