By MOOK Scenic Spots Family, compiled and reported
It’s the perfect season for cherry blossom viewing in Wuling, but the tragic highway accident has drawn nationwide attention. (Photo by Chen Guanxin)
Additionally, regarding the case of the Youli Transport Company bus involved in this incident, which resulted in 33 deaths, investigations have confirmed significant negligence. The Ministry of Transportation will impose the harshest penalty under Article 77, Paragraph 1 of the Highway Act—revoking its road transport business license and canceling all operating vehicle plates—for failing to properly manage its vehicles, drivers, and staff according to the Motor Transport Business Management Regulations (including management of driving and rest periods). However, Youli Transport has protested its innocence, claiming the bus belonged to Butterfly Lovers Travel Agency and that many details remain unclear, highlighting the complex and problematic management issues behind Taiwan’s tourism and bus operator industries.
The issue of driver fatigue has drawn the most attention. Li Qiyue, spokesperson for the Travel Agency Association, once stated that the driver surnamed Kang had taken days off and rest periods, but this was denied by the driver’s family, who presented his work schedule showing he had worked for 16 consecutive days, taking only one day off just before New Year’s Eve. On February 10, although he was scheduled to be off for maintenance, he was unable to get proper rest.
Taiwan faces an aging workforce among bus and coach drivers, along with widespread issues of overwork. Even when passengers are out sightseeing, drivers may not get adequate rest. Labor conditions and the working environment also impact the quality of tourism. In recent years, Japan has continuously improved legislation and management of bus safety following several major coach accidents, placing greater emphasis on drivers’ conditions before departure. Studies have also found that sleep-deprived drivers are as dangerous as drunk drivers—or even more so. The Tourism Bureau has also called on tourists to carefully choose their itineraries and travel agencies, especially regarding low-cost one-day tours in Taiwan. Whether future regulations will enforce unified oversight of bus operations through platforms remains to be addressed through relevant legislative and planning efforts, in hopes that this incident can lead to improvements in Taiwan’s travel industry and bus operation systems.