The inspection on the Green Line of Taichung MRT was completed on October 25th and 12 items for improvement were requested to be completed before its official operations. The Transportation Bureau, the Taipei City Mass Rapid Transit Bureau and the Taichung Rapid Transit Corporation completed these items of improvement requirement within seven days and received the authorized approval signatures of all inspection committee members; on November 2nd, relevant documents were submitted to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) for the operating approval. When the approval was obtained, test rides on the Green Line of the Taichung MRT will be initiated and the commencement date for the official operations will be selected which is expected to be completed before the end of 2020. Director General of the Transportation Bureau, Yeh Chao-Gu said, for the "items of improvement before operations" as proposed by the inspection committee members were all completed by the authority agencies and the Taichung City Government will continuously communicate with the MOTC to quickly obtain the letter of operating approval. The Green Line of the Taichung MRT is the first one running in the Great Central Taiwan area long expected by citizens in Taichung and other cities. It is expected that within one week after obtaining the approval for the test operations, the operations will be conducted before the launch of official operations. Free rides will also be offered for all riders while preparing the operating commencement ceremony before the end of this year. Director General Yeh pointed out that in response to the operations of the Green Line, last year, the Bureau continuously conducted inventory check and confirmation to gradually review various preparations for improvement items as scheduled including the inspection of construction quality, preparations before operations or link-up traffic that involve construction, electronic system completion, fire protection equipment installation and barrier-free facility design. In terms of legal aspect, six autonomous rules for the Mass Transit System were promulgated. Additionally, the Taichung City Government submitted the disaster prevention proposal for 18 stations as required before the construction completion to the Central Government for reviewing the engineering quality assurance. The Executive Yuan listed these MRT stations as special buildings. After construction of the MRT stations is completed, the local competent agency for fire protection will conduct on-site inspections on all fire protection equipment in compliance with the laws. Additionally, the operating agency proposed a fire protection proposal for all MRT stations including preventive and management countermeasures, self-defense firefighting activities, earthquake countermeasures and educational training for disaster relief to respond to all forms of disasters with relevant measures. According to Director General Yeh, in compliance with the points governing re-inspection, preparations before operations cannot be done within one year or a couple of months. From the initial inspection to official operations, "construction of various civil engineering, tracks, and electrical engineering, " "test report of system stability," "presence, educational trainings and relevant simulations of the necessary operations according to the operating rules and proposals," "enactment of relevant rules governing civil engineering, electrical engineering and operations as well as training operation proposal," "installation of emergency evacuation facilities, enactment of safety protection measures and relevant safety labeling" and "ticketing system testing" and "inspection and confirmation report of the electrical system of the Green Line of Taichung MRT" must first be proven. Director General Yeh emphasized that the bus routes along with the MRT lines will be adjusted and iBike posts and parking lots in the nearby stations will be added. Bus stops and kiss and ride areas for passenger cars and taxi call stations will also be planned to provide more convenient and comfortable public transportation in Taichung.