I just signed the following petition addressed to: Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation.
Extend the hours of Taipei MRT service on Friday and Saturday nights to 2am.
Giving citizens and tourist of Taipei more choices in transportation late at night on Friday & Saturday.
An extension of just 2 hours on Friday and Saturday, (2am) would greatly benefit the nightlife of Taipei.
More time to enjoy the weekend out at social gatherings around the city of Taipei’s night markets and other nightlife venues. More transportation alternatives to get home safely.
Boost the city’s economy.
I understand why they need to close down nightly (to have adequate down time for maintenance), but this is a very reasonable proposition. I support it wholeheartedly. People tend to stay out late on the weekends and need a way to get home without having to resort to taxis.
I think there should also be night buses… a limited number of buses serving major some major routes. No reason that can’t be put in place.
Thank you for your support, I am hoping to have it translated into Mandarin this afternoon.
Hope I dont get V&ed for political dissidence regarding the MRT service hours.
[quote=“Chris”]I understand why they need to close down nightly (to have adequate down time for maintenance), but this is a very reasonable proposition. I support it wholeheartedly. People tend to stay out late on the weekends and need a way to get home without having to resort to taxis.
I think there should also be night buses… a limited number of buses serving major some major routes. No reason that can’t be put in place.[/quote]
I also support the idea but just guessing the taxi drivers won’t.
[quote=“PigBloodCake”]Any reason why NYC has 24 hours subway? What other city provides this?
Certainly Tokyo doesn’t either.[/quote]
NYC’s 24-hour service should be self-evident (it’s “The city that never…shuts the fuck up about itself”)
Chicago = b buses and trains run 24 hours, though on a scaled down schedule[/b]
Boston = 01:00-ish but appears to have buses that run very late
S.F. and L.A. = fuggetaboutit
London = roughly the same as Taipei (05:00 - 01:00)
Paris = 01:15 (except Saturdays and day preceding holiday, 02:15)
Hong Kong = 01:15 (MTR and Airport Express)
Beijing = don’t know, don’t care
Manila = hahahahahahaha
Sydney = some buses run 24 hours
EDIT****
I’m sorry, I forgot that S.F. MUNI runs a skeleton service from 00:00-05:00 – buses only, on the hour, following light rail lines and a few routes into the southeastern depths near Hunter’s Point
This would be nice to have. Kind of have been overcharged by taxis when going to a 10 o’clock movie; it is two hours long and get out…oops MRT is closed? At least if MRT stayed up till 1:00 a.m. it would be good on the weekends.
I am open to any positive changes towards this petition. Not sure if comparing Taipei to other cities would be deemed relevant. Because just like our city we have a different infrastructure and needs than NYC or London, etc.
[quote=“super_lucky”][quote=“Chris”]I understand why they need to close down nightly (to have adequate down time for maintenance), but this is a very reasonable proposition. I support it wholeheartedly. People tend to stay out late on the weekends and need a way to get home without having to resort to taxis.
I think there should also be night buses… a limited number of buses serving major some major routes. No reason that can’t be put in place.[/quote]
I also support the idea but just guessing the taxi drivers won’t.[/quote]
And seeing what a powerful lobby taxi drivers are compared against people who run late night entertainment venues, I would say that the petition is not going to get very far.
Plus, as someone who has been inside a few too many London Night-buses on a Friday night, I will not support any measure that discourages Hackney carriages from plying their trade late at night.
I have been saying this for awhile. I have also been saying that its reasonable to increase the fares during the late night hours to offset any extra costs associated with the later hours.
And for us poor sods in Hsinchu I’d also like the HSR to run just a tad later…11 pm last train to Taichung is a little early. Even the last local train (11.50?) could go way later. On Saturday night it is jam-packed with punters.
I just boarded the MRT at 12:39AM going back to Sanchong from Minquan W Rd…after the MRT was “closed” and every sign said to exit the station. The train just showed up and about 40 people got on, no buzzer, no lights, no alerts. Don’t know what that was about.
It’s not just the night entertainment venues that are going to benefit from this…
Night markets, touristy places like Danshui (there are really no good way to get there except by MRT, and that place doesn’t shut down until like 2am), KTV’s, etc.
Those places probably have just as a big of a lobby if not bigger than taxi drivers. At least establish a replacement bus service that runs along the same route as the MRT at night…
It’s not just the night entertainment venues that are going to benefit from this…
Night markets, touristy places like Danshui (there are really no good way to get there except by MRT, and that place doesn’t shut down until like 2am), KTV’s, etc.
Those places probably have just as a big of a lobby if not bigger than taxi drivers. At least establish a replacement bus service that runs along the same route as the MRT at night…[/quote]
