Speaker
Prof. Shiaw-Shyan LUO
Department of Transportation Management and Graduate Institute of Transportation Science
Tamkang University, Taiwan
Abstract
The public transport is considered as the best solution to improve traffic congestion. Today it is urged to promote public transport to meet green environment and sustainable development. Based on the worldwide experiences we knew that it is not easy to promote public transport. Taiwan is a small island, major cities with high resident density are encountered with different level traffic problems and traffic is getting worse especially under current new urban development. Furthermore, the key role of the public transport is to take care of aged and handicapped. Residents in Taipei city and its adjoining cities use public transport often, the usage percentage is much higher than other cities where their city bus, intercity bus and MRT are currently in financial loss.
It is understood that the flexibility, door-to-door accessibility and barrier-free service of transitional public transport is not so competitive advantaged to the private modes. In order to improve the competitiveness of the public transport, it must have comprehensive thinking and approaches. Firstly, we should achieve “last mile service”. Public transport shall not be narrowly deemed as bus, transit, citizen bus, taxi, public bicycle, it shall also cover friendly sidewalks. Secondly, we shall improve seamless public transportation service by using e-bus system. The e-bus system has been installed completely in Taipei in 2009. This e-bus system has significantly improved the service quality in the remote areas as well as the bus transfer to/from MRT. The above could be referred as hardware facilities. The service attitude could represent as software that will impact the service quality but is seldom taken into account by the government and bus operators.
“Connecting People”- a slogan from Nokia. It means that a good service starts from saying hello and saying thank you. Good image of bus service can shorten the distance between driver and passenger. Citizen bus runs through small districts and could act as an angel to protect residents in those districts. Taipei City Government has worked together with all bus operators and non-governmental organization in the past 4 years to promote a movement for courteous bus services. Drivers are encouraged to say hello and thank you to passengers. Drivers are also encouraged to announce name of bus stops. The good service of Taipei Bus has been demonstrated during the Taipei International Flora Expo. Taipei Bus’s image has been recognized by citizens and is formed as a special bus culture. The experience of Flora Expo showed that the barrier-free service of public transport is not limited to the low floor bus, but also include smooth and clearance of sidewalks. The most important is the SOP setup for handling handicapped get-on/off bus without barrier.
A civilized city shall understand and provide full cares to the disadvantaged social groups. The public transport can be the bridge to allow aged and handicapped to participate in social activities. No doubt, the public transport operators shall change their mindset in operation of public transport. Cares and loves are the keys to achieve sustainable public transportation services.
摘要
公共交通是改善都市交通問題的不二良方。從節能減碳與永續發展的觀點，都市公共交通的布局與推動刻不容緩。然而中外的經驗皆顯示，公共交通的推廣有相當難度，絕非一蹴能及。台灣地區地狹人稠，主要都市均面臨不同程度的交通問題，且隨都市的發展日趨嚴重。加以人口的高齡化，為提升資深公民的社會參與，同時照顧身障市民行的權益，公共交通的角色更形關鍵。目前，台灣地區除台北市及其鄰近新北市部分區域民眾有較高比例使用公共運輸之外，其他城市之公共交通系統普遍陷入惡性循環的窘境。公車、客運，甚至捷運，率皆虧損經營，苦撐待哺。
不可諱言，傳統公共運輸服務在及門性與服務提供的彈性，甚至無障礙服務方面，遠遠不及私人運輸。因此，為提升公共運輸的競爭力，勢須有整體之思維及作法。首先，是「最後一哩服務」的落實；公共運輸不僅是狹隘的公車、捷運，市民小巴、計程車(市民小黃)、公共租賃自行車，甚至友善的人行空間，都是公共運輸的重要環節。在無縫隙服務方面，資訊的無縫可以彌補服務時間與空間的不足。公車動態資訊系統的普遍建置，對於提升偏遠地區或捷運接駁的公車服務品質，成效顯著。上述作為多偏重於硬體的提供；屬於軟體的部分，對於影響運輸服務品質的關鍵-服務態度，則一向少為政府部門與業者所重視。
然則「科技始於人性」，一聲親切的問候與感謝，無形中拉近乘客與司機間的距離，也塑造了公車服務的新形象；市民小巴深入鄰里，更可扮演守護的角色。台北市四年前結合公車業者與公益團體，嘗試推動「公車禮貌心運動」，以小故事、小花絮表達對公車從業人員的肯定與感謝；同時鼓勵公車司機口播站名、向乘客問好、說謝謝。台北公車的貼心服務在花博期間屢獲國內外遊客好評，顯見已能得到社會的普遍認同，且已發酵深化形成公車文化。花博的經驗顯示，公共交通的無障礙服務，不僅體現在公車的「低地板化」，尚包括道路環境的整頓/整平。更重要的是，服務身障者進出的標準作業流程，讓身障者感受無歧視的貼心服務，出行無礙。
城市的文明，體現在對弱勢的關懷。公共交通是高齡者與身心障礙者參與社會的重要媒介，應予重視。「用心經營，用愛服務」是公共交通的唯一出路，更是不二法門。