Exclusive interview with Huang Weihan: Tong Ziwei promotes "bus renovation" to replace old ones with new ones and help drivers raise their wages

Tong Ziwei, the Keelung City Speaker of the Democratic Progressive Party and candidate for Keelung Mayor, accepted an exclusive interview with Huang Weihan, the host of "POP News" today (12th) and talked about the issue of comprehensive bus replacement in Keelung City.

Tong Ziwei pointed out that as early as 2024, Keelung Mayor Xie Guoliang promised to completely replace 123 large buses with new electric buses within two years. Now it is the end of 2026, but not even one electric bus has carried passengers. Tong Ziwei said that when he was elected as the mayor of Keelung, he would ensure that large buses are replaced with new ones and replaced by new electric buses. He would also ensure that bus drivers would receive a salary increase and reduce their turnover rate. He would also promote buses for living, sightseeing and medical services to meet the needs of citizens, and comprehensively update smart bus stop signs.

Tong Ziwei said that in 2024, Keelung City’s buses suffered oil leaks, breakdowns, and even parts falling off, which caused panic among citizens. At that time, Xie Guoliang publicly promised to completely replace 123 large buses with new electric buses within 2 years. However, from 2024 to 2026, the two-year deadline has passed and the vote has been postponed. Tong Ziwei said that citizens have always been looking forward to the new buses carrying passengers smoothly, but Xie Guoliang made everyone wait and wait, and the original promise was repeatedly postponed.

Tong Ziwei pointed out that the city government originally planned to simultaneously promote the construction of five electric bus charging stations in Badouzi, Taibaizhuang, Nuannuan, National New Town and Heping Island. However, due to issues such as cost estimation and project planning, only Badouzi was left with priority for construction, and the number of electric buses to be purchased was therefore reduced to 30 vehicles. Tong Ziwei said that the city government planned to buy cars but failed to plan charging stations. The fact that it was not completed as scheduled was proof of problems with the overall implementation progress.

In addition, the 2014 annual final accounts review report released by the Keelung City Audit Office of the Audit Department also pointed out that Keelung City’s public bus electrification replacement funds increased by more than 20% compared with the original plan, but the entrusted manufacturer did not clearly separate the bidding work items of vehicle purchase and charging stations during planning, resulting in the actual processing schedule falling behind. Tong Ziwei said that the city government should prepare overall supporting facilities from cost estimation, station planning to procurement schedule, but unfortunately Mayor Xie Guoliang did not take it to heart.

Tong Ziwei finally said that he has proposed four major bus reforms: "new road network, new fleet, new treatment, and new wisdom". This includes the comprehensive replacement of old buses, giving priority to the purchase of environmentally friendly electric buses and low-floor barrier-free buses; secondly, he will re-plan the 3-level road network of trunk buses, regional branch lines and small yellow buses; at the same time, comprehensively review the salary, benefits and working conditions of bus drivers to supplement the driving manpower; finally, comprehensively update smart electronic stop signs to provide accurate real-time arrival information.

Tong Ziwei finally stressed that Keelung citizens take buses to work, go to school, buy groceries, and see doctors every day. If he is elected, he will launch public buses and medical care. He will make citizens who take the bus able to get on the bus and know the correct arrival time. This is the most basic public service and the people's livelihood needs that the city government should prioritize. He said that when Tong Ziwei becomes mayor in the future, he will definitely complete the comprehensive update of buses.