Mid-Autumn and Teachers' Day Holiday Taxi Inspections Continue Uninterrupted – Taichung City Transportation Bureau Warns Drivers: Violations Carry Fines Up to NT$90,000

With the arrival of the consecutive holidays for Mid-Autumn Festival and Teachers’ Day, Taichung City Government is ensuring uninterrupted inspection efforts to safeguard passengers’ rights when riding taxis during the holiday period. The city is intensifying patrols around major transportation hotspots, including train stations, bus terminals, and tourist attractions, to monitor taxi operation order. The Transportation Bureau stated that drivers who fail to charge according to the meter or engage in unauthorized price quoting may face fines of up to NT$90,000 under the 'Road Act.' The bureau also urges passengers not to privately negotiate fares with drivers and to jointly maintain safety and convenience during their journeys home.

Transportation Bureau Director Yeh Chao-fu noted that this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival coincides with Teachers’ Day, creating a four-day consecutive holiday, leading to increased north-south travel for family reunions and tourism. As taxis provide essential connections for返乡 travelers and visitors to Taichung, the bureau is collaborating with local police precincts to conduct joint inspections at high-demand pickup locations. These checks target violations such as failure to use meters, arbitrary price quoting, and other unauthorized operating behaviors. The bureau reminds passengers to avoid private fare negotiations and always pay based on the meter reading.

Director Yeh emphasized that, except for diversified taxis that have applied for pre-announced fares and are legally exempt from meter installation, all general taxis in Taichung must be equipped with fare meters and charge according to the meter. The current fare structure is NT$85 for the first 1,250 meters, with an additional NT$5 for every subsequent 200 meters. When vehicle speed drops below 5 km/h, delay charges apply at NT$5 per 60 seconds. A nighttime surcharge of NT$20 per trip applies from 11:00 PM to 6:00 AM the next day. For trips spanning the nighttime surcharge period, the fare is determined based on the passenger’s boarding time. Many travelers return home late at night or early in the morning, and drivers must strictly follow metered pricing without adding extra charges.

The Transportation Bureau advises passengers to choose legally operated taxis (white license plates with red text), confirm that the driver’s professional registration certificate is displayed inside the vehicle, and ensure the fare meter starts and operates correctly. If passengers encounter overcharging, refusal to carry, route detours, or other suspicious violations, they should request a ride receipt before exiting, record the license plate number, time, and location, and report the incident via the '1999 Taichung Citizen One-Stop Service' hotline. This enables the Transportation Bureau to verify and address the issue promptly, protecting passengers’ rights effectively.