Five bus companies in the south said yesterday that they might end their operations by the end of this month because of heavy financial losses.
The five bus firms that issued a joint statement were Chiayi Bus, Singing Bus, Sinen Bus, Kaohsiung Bus and Pingtung Bus.
The routes of these companies cover seven counties in the south and provide the only public transportation in some remote or sparsely populated areas, such as Wutai Township (霧台) and Manjou Township (滿州) in Pingtung County.
In their statement, the companies said they had been appealing to the government for help covering their costs for years, but had not received sufficient aid.
"The government seems to think that bus operators are supposed to labor under these losses," the statement said, adding they would hold a press conference next Friday to announce a final decision on whether to close down.
If the companies end services to rural areas, that would likely pose a difficulty for commuters and seniors who are dependent on the buses to get around.
Fang Sen-de (
But the government had only offered around NT$550 million, he said.
Fang said that subsidy was not enough to cover operational costs, especially considering the rising price of gas.
Fang said that there are about 1,000 bus routes crossing remote areas nationwide.
Nearly half of those routes have not brought in a profit for years, he said.
This time the southern bus operators are likely to close shop, but next time, other areas could be affected, Fang warned, adding that the loss of some routes could lead to a chain reaction.
James Chen (
The directorate's annual budget for subsidizing their operations is only NT$650 million, he said.
Hsieh Chieh-tien (謝界田), director of the DGH's motor vehicle division, said the agency would negotiate with bus operators in the hope of continuing the service.
Hsieh said the government was aware of their dire financial situation, adding that the average bus occupancy rate is five passengers, he said.
Hsieh said the directorate had encouraged bus firms to reduce bus runs and sort out overlapping service areas as part of a solution.
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