Due to the concentration of living areas in Taiwan, motorcycles with characteristics such as mobility, convenience, and easy parking have become the preferred mode of transportation for the general public. In particular, due to the small size and high population density of Chiayi City, the motorcycle density ranks second among all counties and cities in Taiwan. However, many vehicle owners often neglect regular maintenance and overlook the emission of pollutants, focusing only on performance. This, combined with the aging of vehicles, inadvertently accelerates the deterioration of air quality.
In order to effectively reduce motorcycle emissions, the Ministry of Environment (MOENV) of the Executive Yuan has been promoting the "Motorcycle Emission Inspection System" since 1993. Since 2011, it has been mandatory for motorcycles to undergo an annual inspection once they reach 5 years of age. At the same time, emission standards for motorcycles have been tightened. Additionally, the EPA actively promotes the use of low-pollution vehicles, such as electric motorcycles and motorcycles with low-pollution injection engines, to reduce emission pollution. Currently, there are 46 motorcycle emission inspection stations set up in the jurisdiction of Chiayi City to provide services for annual inspections. Apart from managing these inspection stations to ensure quality testing services, the city also enforces regulations on motorcycles that have not undergone the required inspection through inspections, notifications, and public education, thus promoting the implementation of regular motorcycle emission inspections and maintenance. Chiayi City takes the lead nationwide by integrating the Environmental Protection Bureau as the main entity and incorporating all motorcycle emission inspection stations in the city, becoming the first to pass the international certification of TAF inspection agencies.
Progress Update as of December 15th: The achievement progress of each quantified objective is as follows: Regarding the implementation of the undetermined inspection control for motorcycles, the roadside motorcycle checkpoints have been conducted 22 times, inspecting a total of 1,230motorcycles. Out of these, 64 motorcycles were found to be non-compliant, resulting in a non-compliance rate of 5.2%. The progress achievement rate is 102.5%. The inspection of undetermined motorcycles has been completed with a total of 5,583inspections, reaching a progress achievement rate of 139.6%. For the mobile license plate recognition of undetermined motorcycles, notifications have been sent to 7,021motorcycles, and 6,013 motorcycles have responded, resulting in a response rate of 85.6% and a progress achievement rate of 140.4%. Similarly, for the fixed license plate recognition in traditional markets, notifications have been sent to 5,681 motorcycles, with 5,352motorcycles responding, leading to a response rate of 94.2% and a progress achievement rate of 142%. In terms of the dispatch of inspection notification postcards, 128,153 items have been sent, with 2,129items being returned, resulting in a return rate of 1.66%.
In order to improve the quality of motorcycle inspection stations and address the issues occurring at these stations, a secret on-site vehicle inspection operation has been conducted for motorcycle inspection stations within the jurisdiction. This on-site vehicle inspection operation allows for the investigation of improvements in various deficiencies at the inspection stations, whether there are improper adjustments or forced repairs, and any illegal incidents involving arbitrarily raised maintenance fees. Through this on-site inspection operation, the implementation of quality assurance and control measures for inspection processes and quality at the inspection stations has been enhanced, thereby increasing the credibility of the inspection data. A total of 57 secret on-site inspections have been conducted, and one station has been found to violate the relevant operational regulations of the "Motorcycle Emission Inspection Station Establishment and Management Measures" to varying degrees.
According to the "Guidelines for the Formulation and Review of Control Measures for Mobile Pollution Sources in Air Quality Maintenance Areas" by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) of the Executive Yuan, the Chiayi City Eastern Market (including Gonghe) has been designated as an air quality maintenance area. The related project proposal was submitted for review to the EPA on May 2nd, 2022, and was approved as an air quality maintenance area by the EPA on September 19th, 2022. The announcement of the Eastern Market (including Gonghe) as an air quality maintenance area was made by the city government on September 30th, 2022, and it was officially implemented in two stages starting from January 1st, 2023. The first stage of control targets motorcycles with two-stroke engines that have not completed the most recent periodic emission inspection within the specified time frame. The control scope includes the inner perimeter of the Eastern Market (including Gonghe), excluding surrounding roads such as Heping Road, Wufeng North Road, Minzu Road, Guanghua Road, and Gongming Road.
On January 14th, 2022, the Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan announced the "Subsidy Program for Eliminating Old Motorcycles" and the "Incentive Program for Substituting Electric Motorcycles for Eliminating Old Motorcycles and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions." Since 2022, subsidies have been provided for the elimination of old motorcycles or the substitution of electric motorcycles for old ones. In Chiayi City, from January to December 15th, 2023, a total of 5,125old motorcycles have been eliminated, resulting in an estimated reduction of pollution emissions by 1.0612metric tons per year of PM10, 0.7975metric tons per year of PM2.5, 5.1037 metric tons per year of NOx, 20.6244metric tons per year of NMHC, and 64.7422metric tons per year of CO.
