Taiwan’s Kuo Kuang Motor Transport has announced the suspension of 14 intercity bus routes due to heavy financial losses and mounting debt. The affected services include major routes such as Kaohsiung–Kenting, Taipei–Tainan, Taipei–Kaohsiung, and Taipei–Pingtung.
The six Kaohsiung–Kenting routes will continue operating until August 30 before being handed over to other bus operators. Discussions are still ongoing regarding the remaining eight routes, which connect Taipei and Taichung to southern cities like Tainan and Kaohsiung. Bus terminal transfers are expected between late August and early September.
Kuo Kuang reported that these routes have been losing nearly NT$190 million annually. The decline in intercity bus ridership, largely due to passengers preferring high-speed rail and regular trains, has worsened the company’s financial challenges. Despite repaying some loans, the company still carries more than NT$2 billion in debt, and it has delayed salary payments twice in the past six months.
The restructuring is expected to reshape Taiwan’s intercity transport landscape, with other bus companies preparing to absorb the suspended routes.
Taiwan’s Kuo Kuang Bus Company Suspends 14 Routes Amid Mounting Debt
Date:
Picture Credit: commons.wikimedia.org