The 307 bus route connects Taipei and Banqiao, hailed as the 'King of Buses' in Taiwan, with ticket revenue reaching NT$3.85 billion last year, making it one of the most profitable bus lines. At a job fair held in Keelung in late April, over a thousand job opportunities were available in tech and retail, with 20% offering starting salaries above NT$40,000, attracting numerous job seekers.

Jian Youzheng, general manager of Guide Bus, announced a monthly salary of NT$80,000 for bus drivers, with an annual total of 13 months’ pay and an additional NT$80,000 signing bonus, bringing potential yearly earnings over NT$1 million. However, only three applicants showed up, highlighting the difficulty in attracting drivers. According to the statistics from the Ministry of Transportation, there is a shortage of 662 drivers in intercity bus services and 1,791 in urban passenger transport. Li Jianwen, general manager of Capital Bus, stated that each bus requires at least 1.3 drivers, with over 3,400 buses in Taipei, necessitating at least 4,400 drivers, yet only around 3,600 are currently employed.

Due to the severe labor shortage, the Hsinchu City government has raised the salary for bus drivers this year, increasing the monthly subsidy from NT$5,000 to NT$10,000, competing with Hsinchu County for drivers. The Hsinchu County government also provides a monthly subsidy of NT$10,000 for drivers, which was originally set to expire last year but has been extended due to municipal competition for labor. Miaoli County, part of the same living circle, has followed suit, announcing a NT$10,000 raise for urban bus drivers. Industry representatives claim that wage increases are insufficient to retain the workforce, as many young drivers remain elusive.

Starting this year, New Taipei City and Taipei have raised public transport fares and increased driver salaries by an additional NT$8,000 per month. The industry notes that a total salary increase of NT$6,000 had already been implemented in 2023, and this new increase would bring the average monthly salary to NT$80,000. Capital Bus has introduced a signing bonus for new hires, offering NT$20,000 after one, three, and five months of employment, plus transportation subsidies and single accommodations. Guide Bus is providing NT$80,000 in signing bonuses and rest areas for drivers that rival cafés, claiming these features have become standard in driver recruitment.

However, the industry is concerned that ongoing salary hikes in New Taipei and Hsinchu are causing many drivers with ties to the North to be poached, affecting even those who have bought homes in Taichung. As some employers provide free accommodation, these drivers are drawn back to the North. Moreover, the logistics sector has raised salaries by nearly 20% this year, resulting in at least 30 drivers leaving since January. Although the salary increases have promoted mobility within the industry, experts agree that the aging workforce issue remains unresolved. Attracting new blood will require wages to significantly exceed those in the logistics field or diversified taxi services.