TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Four northern cities will fund the Tpass monthly commuter pass with their own budgets amid a budget impasse, with coverage expected to last until early June.

The central government’s 2026 budget has stalled, raising concerns about potential impacts on Tpass subsidies, per CNA. Officials from Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan held talks on Monday to discuss how to keep the program running.

Taipei Department of Transportation Commissioner Hsieh Ming-hong (謝銘鴻) told CNA after the meeting that three conclusions were reached. First, Tpass is a joint central and local government policy aimed at prioritizing the needs of commuters.

Second, given the current budget impasse, all four cities will use their own budgets to continue funding the program. How long this can be sustained depends on ridership.

Based on 2025 ridership figures, funding could last until late May or early June 2026. However, the timeframe could change depending on ridership.

Third, Hsieh stressed that Tpass is an important nationwide policy and called on the Ministry of Transportation to help facilitate dialogue among legislators. He said completing the budget process promptly is key to preventing any disruption to the program.

Hsieh added that some have raised concerns about understanding the cost impact on passengers if Tpass were halted. While the pass costs NT$1,200 (US$37) per month, average usage is valued at about NT$2,100.

This would mean passengers have to pay an additional NT$900 if the program were halted, though Hsieh stressed the scenario was hypothetical. According to the Directorate General of Highways, the Tpass regular program logs about 698,000 trips per month, while Tpass 2.0 accounts for roughly 379,000 trips.

Taipei transportation officials said about 616,000 passes for the Keelung–Taipei–New Taipei–Taoyuan metropolitan area were sold in December. Average monthly sales stood at around 550,000 over the year.