Taiwan will unveil a universal e-card reader New Year’s Day as part of an NT$500 million (US$17.18 million) program aimed at creating an integrated national system by 2013, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said Dec. 30.
“This initiative seeks to promote public transportation through offering customers streamlined services,” the MOTC said. “With just one e-card, all manner of transportation options will eventually be available.”
The first stage of the system will cover the Banciao-Keelung, Lukang-Taichung High Speed Railway Station and Kenting Express routes. This number is expected to grow to 795 by May 2011, with 6,795 buses running services.
“This represents 60 percent of Taiwan’s bus capacity,” the MOTC said.
According to the ministry, e-cards issued by Easycard Corp., Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp. and Taiwan Smart Card Co. will be accepted on all three routes. Those produced by Eastern Electronic Toll Collection Co. can be used for Lukang-Taichung and Kenting.
The MOTC said it plans on incorporating Taiwan Railways and the Taipei and Kaohsiung mass rapid transit systems into the e-card system in the second half of next year.
