Experts assert that while Taiwan's labor laws include provisions for long-distance bus drivers' working hours, protections are still inadequate. Retired professor Huang Taisheng from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University argues for improvements by looking to Europe where specific laws govern working hours.
Statistics show that drivers who sleep less than four hours a day face a fourfold higher risk of accidents compared to those getting seven hours of sleep, highlighting the significant threat fatigue poses to road safety.
Current regulations state commercial large bus drivers cannot drive more than ten hours a day and must have at least thirty minutes of rest after four continuous driving hours. However, violations remain common, as revealed by the Ministry of Labor's inspections indicating high rates of excessive working hours and unpaid overtime.
Huang calls for a more comprehensive labor hour regulation similar to European standards to safeguard worker rights, and the Ministry of Transportation confirms it is revising regulations for tour bus drivers to prevent fatigue-related incidents.