Amazing pencil boards help you catch the taxi-bus to school or work on time! The Taichung City Government's taxi-bus initiative has gained popularity. This year, the Yellow 24 route of the Lishui-Tianzhong line was introduced in Longjing District. Starting from the Lishui bus stop, it goes by Longjing Elementary School, Longjing Junior High School, and Longquan Elementary School, ending at Longjing Railway Station. This addresses the lack of bus service for children in Lishui, Futian, and Tianzhong villages. To ease parents' transportation worries for their kids, some locals have kindly printed the taxi-bus schedule and route map on pencil boards and handed them out to students and residents. The taxi-bus service is available all year, braving all weather, catering to the community's needs, and supporting the most considerate transportation network in rural areas.

Director Yeh Chao-fu of the Transportation Bureau noted that to raise students' awareness and increase the use of public transportation, junior high schools in the Longjing area have recently distributed pencil boards that have information regarding the taxi-bus service to all teachers and students during their flag-raising ceremonies. This effort is to promote the service and foster a habit of using public transportation from a young age, supporting environmental protection and sustainable development. The pencil boards include a detailed guide for the Yellow 24 route, which began service on January 18 this year. The Transportation Bureau has arranged for taxi-bus drivers to follow fixed routes and schedules, ensuring the public's basic transportation rights.

Longjing Junior High School's principal, Kuo Li-min, noted that the school has over 400 students, and that the Yellow 24 taxi-bus stops at the Guangguang Road bus stop in front of the school at 7:30 AM to provide a comfortable and convenient transportation option for students. The school has distributed pencil boards, donated and printed with the Yellow 24 route information, to encourage the use of public transportation. With the city government offering free rides, parents no longer need to rush to pick up and drop off their children. This also allows students to plan their schedules and bus rides, gaining practical experience in using transportation services in their daily lives.

“Some older adults were not familiar with the service at first, but now they can easily call to book a ride the day before,” said Chang Wen-ching, the head of Tianzhong Village in Longjing District. To encourage residents to book their rides in advance, local representatives and the village head have pooled their resources to print thousands of Yellow 24 bus pencil boards. These pencil boards, which clearly show the route, departure times, and stops, were distributed to schools and residents. Elderly residents, delighted with the service, have said that having the taxi-bus service means they no longer need to inconvenience their families.

Chen Hung-i, a taxi-bus driver, said that he has built a friendly rapport with regular passengers who use the service for shopping, visiting friends, and medical appointments. After school, students use the service to reach Longjing Station, where they can efficiently transfer to Taiwan Railway trains or city buses. For areas without city bus stops, taxi-buses can stop anywhere, catering to the needs of the residents. Longjing's attractions, such as the Mediterranean-like Lishui Fishing Harbor, have been drawing tourists from various regions. Tourists can also take advantage of the taxi-bus service by booking ahead.

Cheng Yu-jung, a 29-year-old retired military officer, is a new and energetic driver for Taichung's taxi-bus fleet. Transitioning to her new role, she now provides the service along the coastal routes. With the backing of the Transportation Bureau and her team, she has seen a noticeable increase in the taxi-bus's ridership. She also often assists other routes during peak hours. Her routes offer views of lush rice fields and golden rapeseed fields, scenery that city residents rarely experience. Cheng finds her role as a driver for Taichung's bus service highly rewarding, enjoying the sense of accomplishment that comes from warmly transporting passengers.

Director Yeh noted that the Yellow 24 route of the Lishui-Tianzhong line travels from Lishui to Longjing Station (Longxin Road), stopping at various locations such as Lishui Village Activity Center, Futian Community Activity Center, Longjing District Farmers' Association, Longjing Elementary School, Longjing Junior High School, Longjing District Office, and Longquan Elementary School. A taxi-bus can carry 3 to 4 passengers and follows a fixed schedule. Passengers must book their rides in advance. For further details, please visit the Taichung City Taxi-Bus website (URL: https://www.traffic.taichung.gov.tw/content/index.asp?Parser=1,7,505,52). Everyone is welcome to make use of this service.