Taiwan is on a Level 3 COVID-19 alert. Everybody is encouraged to stay home, and that means few people are taking taxis. Now taxi companies are asking the government for relief.
Taxis wait by the roadside for passengers, but with Taiwan under a Level 3 COVID-19 alert, the waits have grown long. One driver spent four hours before finding two passengers. Both were headed to a hospital, just about the only place people are going these days.
Though times are hard, Taiwan’s taxi drivers are still hitting the road every day because it’s their only means of income.
They hope to get subsidies to replace their wages, as well as subsidies for gas, disease prevention supplies, and car loans. Drivers also think they should be on the priority list for vaccination.
The transportation ministry says it is drafting a relief plan for the public transport industry. Hopefully it will bring some relief to taxi drivers during this critical time.