Taxi fares to increase NT$30 during Lunar New Year period

Taipei, Jan. 19 (CNA) A NT$30 (US$0.95) surcharge will be added to taxi fares in New Taipei, Taipei, and Keelung from Feb. 11 to Feb. 22 during the Lunar New Year holiday period, the New Taipei Transportation Department said Monday.

An additional NT$20 will also apply to rides taken between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. during the same period, department official Hsu Yuan-chi (許芫綺) said in a news release.

Hsu said the nighttime fee will be automatically calculated by the meter, while the Lunar New Year surcharge will be manually entered by drivers and shown as "Lunar New Year" on the meter.

Passengers are advised to request a receipt and check the fare before exiting the vehicle. Complaints can be filed by noting the taxi's license plate number, time, and location, and reporting the incident via New Taipei City's 1999 hotline or the mayor's online mailbox.

Drivers found overcharging or operating without a valid license face fines ranging from NT$9,000 to NT$90,000 under the Highway Act, the department said.