To enhance bus network in Taichung, the Taichung City Transportation Bureau planned to launch the main line bus policy on six major road corridors including Fuxing Rd., Taiwan Boulevard, Zhongxing Rd., Zhongqing Rd., Chongde Rd., and Beitun Rd, to transform the operations of existing bus routes and increase one service interval by at least 10 minutes during peak hours and 15 to 20 minutes during off-peak hours. Additionally, a designated colorful image design and a convenient way to view the number bus line were incorporated. These bus routes are expected to begin operations next year to complete the bus network in Taichung City.




The Bureau today (18th) organized the new bus route press conference at the Civic Building on Taiwan Boulevard and the former Director General of the Bureau, Li Liang-Tai, first talked about the history of Taichung bus. Next, the incumbent Director General of the Bureau, Yeh Chao-Fu, described the planning of "the main line buses," the theme of the press conference. Finally, the Director General of the Tourism and Travel Bureau, Han Yu-Chi, talked about the future promotion concept of tourism buses. Director General Yeh pointed out that after the launch of free bus rides for the first eight kilometers since 2011, the number of bus passengers increased per year from 50 million to 130 million. Now with the continuously increasing population in Taichung, there was space for more ridership on buses. This time the Transportation Bureau selected six road corridors including Fuxing Rd., Zhongxing Rd., Taiwan Boulevard, Zhongqing Rd., Chungde Rd., and Beitun Rd. to launch main line buses. In addition to minor adjustments, intensive service intervals and use of low-floor buses or barrier-free vehicles, a designated colorful image was incorporated to improve overall bus service standards and the willingness of riders. Director General Yeh said the main line buses were transformed from existing ones and service intervals during both peak and off-peak hours were increased by at least ten or 15 to 20 minutes. Each main line bus route was designed with an exclusive colorful image and line number. For example, construction gray for Line #100 on Fuxing Rd., nostalgia brown for Line 200 on Zhongxing Rd., dream blue for Line #300 on Taiwan Boulevard, freedom orange for Line #500 on Zhongqing Rd., vigor yellow for Line # on Chongde Rd., and passion red for Line #900 on Beitun Rd. In the future, the relevant colors can be easily identified on bus bodies, smart bus signs and bus shelters. Through intuitive image design, the convenience for riding on buses was improved. Director General Yeh further pointed out that the main bus lines on six road corridors will be launched next year and incorporated with this year's official operations of the MRT Green Line, the plan forms the comprehensive mass transportation network to result in the synergy effect. He expected that through stable bus service standards and double-ten bus policy, there will be more bus riders. To improve utilization rate of mass transportation, the Bureau will continuously conduct roll planning reviews to provide the public convenient public transportation services. Furthermore, for the promotion of tourism buses, Director General of Tourism and Travel Bureau, Han Yu-Chi, said to improve convenience of tourism transportation in Taichung City, at present, four demonstration routes were planned. The first one, "Taiwan Tourist Shuttle-Taichung Fashionable Downtown Line" was applied with the support from the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications on September 17th for tourists to travel to important scenic spots in the downtown area of Taichung. It was planned that next year, one route in the mountain, coastal and Tun areas, respectively, will be selected from the existing routes (Line #153, 309, and 151) for tourism transformation works including uniform image design, color painting, bus stop installation, pamphlet printing, virtual or physical guided tour, and package tickets to gradually improve the tourism transportation network. Among these works, literature printing and package tickets were included in the main line buses and MRT Green Line promotion of the Transportation Bureau to inform the public to select ten main bus routes as the priority for both business and tourism travels to easily plan and save time.