TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A new school bus route was launched on Tuesday (Aug. 20) in Pingtung's Sandimen to address the transportation needs of students living in remote villages.

The route will provide transportation for approximately 25 to 30 students who commute to Taishan Elementary School from Maer and Anpo villages. It was established after a comprehensive assessment of transportation needs in the township, per the Pingtung County Government.

The school bus route will begin operating on Sept. 2 with two fixed routes on weekdays. With the addition of this new route, the county now has 33 buses operating on 47 routes.

The Pingtung County Government has been actively promoting its bus program since 2017. The initiative provides transportation services to rural areas.

Currently, Sandimen has one bus route and two taxi routes. The routes have served over 120,000 passengers since June 2023.