Taiwan widens eligibility for priority seating on public transport
台灣擴大大眾運輸優先席資格
| TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mandarin name for priority seating on public transportation will be changed and its eligibility will be expanded.
On Tuesday, the Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of an amendment to Article 53 of the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act (身心障礙者權益保障法), replacing the term “courtesy seat” (博愛座) with “priority seat” (優先席), per CNA. The amendment also broadens eligibility from the disabled, elderly, women, and children to those with "actual needs.” The use of courtesy seats on Taiwan’s public transportation is widely believed to have originated from an April 2, 1976, UDN article titled, "Embodying President Chiang's benevolent spirit: courtesy seats installed on buses.” The campaign marked the anniversary of former dictator Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) death. A total of 2,699 buses in Taipei took part in the initiative. Passengers were encouraged to give up their seats as a gesture of compassion. Controversy has surrounded courtesy seats since their introduction. They were not formally written into law until May 31, 2013, when a legal amendment mandated that at least 20% of seats be designated as courtesy seats, later reduced to 15%. As conflicts over their use grew more frequent, lawmakers across party lines sought reform. The Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee passed the amendment in a first reading on June 23, and it cleared the third and final reading on Tuesday. The third reading of the bill stipulates that public transportation providers must install accessible facilities for individuals with physical or intellectual disabilities. For systems without reserved seating, at least 15% of seats must now be marked as priority seating for people with disabilities or others with actual needs. An attached resolution calls on the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to work with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to develop a standardized icon for priority seats. This symbol would be used consistently on all public transport nationwide. In addition, the resolution calls on both ministries to promote public awareness of priority seating through diverse outreach methods. Transport operators are encouraged to participate in the campaign and use announcements to remind passengers to show courtesy, empathy, and respect for others’ rights to use these seats. |
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| Keoni Everington Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2025-07-15 |
