Safety Inspector Shortage Hits Taiwan's Railway Company

Taiwan's national railway company is struggling with a lack of safety inspectors just before the country's busiest travel season.

Transcript

00:00 Chen Yanjun is a seven-year veteran of Taiwan's railway system.

00:06 She's a safety inspector and maintenance worker who trains new recruits.

00:10 She's proud to be the first woman from the greater Taipei area to do this job.

00:14 "I'm just saying that if you're interested in this, and you put in the work, it's not

00:21 too difficult for a female inspector."

00:25 But inspectors like Chen are becoming harder to find.

00:28 On January 1st, Taiwan's rail company officially changed from an arm of the government to a

00:33 state-owned corporation, a move meant to improve safety after fatal crashes in 2018 and 2021.

00:40 But a growing number of safety inspectors are choosing this transition point as their

00:44 chance to retire, joining over 1,000 staff taking a voluntary retirement package.

00:50 The remaining 800 inspectors are left stretched with a heavier workload, and it will be some

00:54 time before fresh recruits arrive to help them.

00:57 "The whole process will take about six months.

00:59 We feel that during this time, the government should use more extra staff, whether it's

01:05 for hiring or for other things, to fill up the staff."

01:09 The government and the railway's new management have promised a revamped safety system and

01:13 more oversight.

01:15 But many are not convinced this is happening fast enough.

01:18 In association of families of people killed in the 2021 crash are among those unhappy

01:23 with the pace of change.

01:24 49 died, and around 200 were injured in this collision between a train and a construction

01:29 truck that had slid onto the tracks.

01:32 It was Taiwan's deadliest train accident since the 1940s.

01:36 Victims' families say the company hasn't made any progress or plans for reform.

01:40 The new company says it needs a little more time, and outside experts are coming to help.

01:45 "The board of directors will be formed in February.

01:50 There will be some things to deal with."

01:57 Still, Taiwan is just days away from the Lunar New Year holiday, the busiest travel season

02:01 of the year.

02:03 Ready or not, the first big test for the newly formed company is just down the tracks.

02:08 Klein Wong and John Ventriest for Taiwan Plus.

02:10 [BLANK_AUDIO]