Taiwan candidate proposes free public buses, carbon pass for Taichung voters

As the local election campaign intensifies, Taichung mayoral candidate Jiang Qichen has unveiled a bold proposal: free public bus rides for all citizens. The plan, announced on his Facebook page, aims to significantly boost public transportation usage and promote environmental consciousness among residents.

Beyond free bus travel, Jiang's initiative incorporates a "carbon reduction pass." This system would allow citizens to accumulate mileage from their bus journeys, which could then be used to offset rental costs for YouBike, the city's bike-sharing service. This integrated approach seeks to encourage a multimodal transportation ecosystem.

The candidate stated that the city government would allocate additional subsidies to support bus operators and their drivers. This financial backing is intended to ensure the smooth implementation of the free ride policy and potentially improve working conditions for drivers. The proposal is positioned as a key policy to address both transportation needs and climate goals in Taichung.