Taichung:Democratic Progressive Party mayoral candidate Ho Hsin-chun has proposed a series of reforms to improve bus services in the city. Her initiatives include increasing passenger capacity, upgrading the city's bus app, reorganizing routes, and enhancing drivers' working conditions.
According to Focus Taiwan, Ho criticized the replacement of articulated buses with smaller electric ones, which has reduced passenger capacity without adequate service or driver staffing increases. Articulated buses can carry up to 141 passengers, while conventional electric buses accommodate about 60, causing overcrowding issues at important stops like Taichung Veterans General Hospital and Tunghai University. Ho pledged to ride public transportation periodically if elected to identify and address commuter issues directly.
In contrast, Kuomintang candidate Johnny Chiang outlined plans for a "Taichung smart safety network" to enhance public safety using AI. This network would involve improved coordination through the smart city committee and the creation of a sovereign AI and big data center for risk analysis, while ensuring privacy and legal compliance. Chiang's proposal includes using AI sensors to monitor unusual activities among seniors living alone and integrating data on high-risk families' finances, childcare needs, and mental health.
Chiang also committed to giving social workers and nursing personnel more decision-making power, addressing staffing shortages, and ensuring their rights. Additional proposals include regional cooperation for disaster prevention, AI-assisted water management, and smart noise monitoring.
The Taiwan local elections, also known as the "9-in-1" elections, are scheduled for November 28, 2026. Voters across the country's 22 cities and counties will elect officials to various government positions, including city mayors and councilors, filling a total of 11,051 posts.
