TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Automotive Freight and Storage Industry Union (汽車貨運暨倉儲產業工會) presented four measures to complement a truck driver regulation amendment on Thursday (Dec. 4). The union proposed measures to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC, 交通部), Taiwan's transportation authority, to complement an MOTC amendment limiting commercial truck drivers' daily driving time to 10 hours. The new regulation, set to take effect in the first half of next year, seeks to enhance road safety and driver welfare.
Lin Ying-chen (林映辰), the union's chairman, acknowledged the good intentions behind the ministry's proposal but highlighted the lack of supporting measures. Lin emphasized the need for consultations with grassroots labor representative groups to ensure comprehensive implementation of the new driving time limits. The union demands clearly defining work hours and requiring the ministry to assess transport capacity with deadlines for improvements.
The union insists on establishing a minimum freight rate to protect drivers from exploitation by upstream operators, according to a Facebook post. The union demands fair compensation within normal working hours for commercial truck drivers across Taiwan's transportation industry. The union pointed out that upstream shippers should bear management responsibility and face penalties if they violate driving and rest time regulations.
Chen Chun-hung (陳俊宏), deputy section chief of the Highway Bureau's (公路局), Taiwan's highway authority, transportation division, stated that the amendment's primary goal is to protect truck drivers. The amendment limits their daily driving time to 10 hours to enhance safety and welfare for commercial drivers. Chen noted that work hour protection falls under the Labor Standards Act's (勞動基準法), Taiwan's labor law, jurisdiction.
