Executive Yuan commuter monthly pass TPASS is a milestone for Taiwan’s public transportation on the first day of its launch

The Executive Yuan cross-district commuter monthly pass TPASS and the Kaohsiung traffic monthly pass are included in the Taiwan Railway, and they are all on the road today (7/1). I took the Taiwan Railway twice to experience the new system early. all the best!

11:13 Interval 3157 Minzu Station to Justice Station, 11:26 Interval 3188 Justice Station to Minzu Station. Deliberately avoid big stations. Both stations are commuter stations for the underground section of Taiwan Railway.

There is only one way in and out of the commuter station. Regardless of whether it is a monthly pass or not, the same channel and the same ticket checking machine are used. However, this also confuses users of ordinary tickets (non-monthly tickets). I saw that many people wanted to find a “normal (non-TPASS)” channel at the beginning.

The ticket checking machine can read RFID cards, and can also scan the QR code of Taiwan Railway tickets on mobile phones. Generally speaking, it is an interface familiar to frequent riders.

When entering the station to read the card, the screen will display the card balance. If it is a monthly pass, “Executive Yuan Commuter Pass” and the expiry date will also be displayed.

When reading the card at the exit, the screen will display the station name, fare and balance, as well as the name and expiration date of the monthly pass.

The experience is short, but it clearly feels the two-level public transportation milestone.

MRT of Taiwan Railway

Taiwan Railways has set up new commuter stations in metropolitan areas, shortening the station distance, and has been advancing in the direction of MRT. Although the frequency of the shuttle bus is not enough, it is convenient to estimate the frequency in advance.

In particular, Kaohsiung is long and narrow from north to south, and the Taiwan Railway was originally an important means of transportation in the territory. Sometimes I also take the Taiwan Railway from the urban area to and from North Kaohsiung. The Taiwan Railway’s vertical line turns from north-south to east-west at Gushan Station, saving you the trouble of taking the MRT and transferring at Formosa Station. Or to get to Lianchitan, the Taiwan Railway is also more convenient than the MRT.

Now the Taiwan Railway is also included in the Kaohsiung monthly traffic pass, which also allows the Taiwan Railway to be more closely integrated into the existing traffic network.

massive behavioral change

From south to north, cheap public transport monthly passes lower the threshold. It will definitely make many people who are already using public transportation more active, and it will also make many people who do not use public transportation try to use it.

When the number of users of public transport increases, it will have the motivation and drive to improve service quality. Especially in the past, disadvantaged groups may be submissive, but now more young and middle-aged people use it, and the inspection, requirements and expectations of the system will be higher.

Even if fares are raised a few years later, the changes will not be reversed. If the public transportation service continues to improve and can continue to meet the needs of the public, even if the monthly pass rate is increased, many people will still continue to use it. Many Internet services that we now have to pay monthly and annual fees were not all free at the beginning.

Of course, some people will no longer buy monthly tickets, but public transportation has become a part of life, and they will continue to use it with a single payment.

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