Bus service cuts in north likely from August: firmsTAIPEI, Taiwan -- Bus service on less popular routes in Northern Taiwan could be reduced starting in August due to a new labor directive that prevents employees from working more than six days in a row without a day off, bus operators announced Friday. Ten bus operators from the Greater Taipei area, Keelung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli said after a meeting Friday that they are considering cutting bus service on less popular routes by 50 percent from Aug. 1. In fact, the new regulation will reduce the potential incomes of bus drivers by up to NT$10,000 (US$312) a month, he claimed. At present, bus drivers can choose whether to take days off or work overtime to earn more money, but that flexibility will no longer exist under the new directive, Kao said. Kao Ling-kuo, director general of a trade association representing bus operators in Northern Taiwan, said the new rule may limit drivers' ability to choose their preferred working conditions.

Source: The China Post July 22, 2016 17:48 UTC