Unlicensed bus driver carrying group of 15 tumbles off highway
A midibus driven by an unlicensed operator had tumbled Sunday evening while descending Hehuanshan’s North Peak. The group of 15 tourists from the Philippines and the driver sustained injuries after the bus tumbled 2m down the side slope of a hairpin bend amid the heavy rain. Of the two most severe cases, one had intracranial hemorrhage, while the other had pelvic fractures. The unlicensed driver was a freelancer registered on a contractual basis with a bus operator, on whom the police are now pursuing legal action.
- 91 arriving. Please report on the situation.
The ambulance is arriving on the scene of a car accident. The emergency response center asks personnel to report back on the situation, including the number of casualties, to determine whether to dispatch additional teams.
- How many are trapped? Please take a look and report back.
Emergency personnel pull the injured people up along the side slope. One had injuries to the head, while another had bone fractures. Others sustained relatively minor injuries.
- Are they out here for leisure or something else?
- To hike, and to see high mountain rhododendrons.
The incident took place on Wushe Township section of Provincial Highway 14 Sunday evening. A group of 15 tourists from the Philippines had traveled to Hehuanshan North Peak on a midibus. During the descent, the bus slipped on a turn and tumbled 2m down the side slope. All 15, plus a Taiwanese driver sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Chen Chong-ming
Puli Christian Hospital
The one that was sent to the ICU had intracranial hemorrhage, but not much bleeding. We’re monitoring the conditions, but for now there’s no need for surgery. The other patient has pelvic fractures, which requires surgery, but we’ll have to wait another day or two.
From an aerial view, the vehicle can be seen to have landed up-side-down, while the front end was left deformed from the impact. It had fallen along a hairpin turn. Was it because the driver was unfamiliar with the road conditions?
Cheng An-shun
Central Region Branch Office, Highway Bureau
The road was slippery because it was raining heavily, and the driver was too fast while making the turn on a downward slope, so the vehicle tumbled.
The police later found that the driver, a 42-year-old man surnamed Chang, only had a regular driver’s license. Worse, it had been invalidated. He does not have a professional large vehicle license. The offense is fineable by up to NT$80,000 on both the vehicle’s owner and the driver, with the vehicle confiscated on the spot.
Shih Chao-chen
Renai Precinct, Nantou County Police
Our investigation found that the driver surnamed Chang was not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, he is not a holder of a license of business
large passenger vehicle. Therefore, the police will pursue criminal action according to law.
Bus operator
Contracted with driver
The vehicle is registered with us on a contractual basis by a freelance operator. We’re still investigating the matter. We did arrive to inspect the scene at the time of the incident.
Our reporter went to the bus operator location in Hsinchu’s Hukou Township. The owner only told us that Chang is an individual operator registered with them on contract, and said nothing about him being unlicensed.
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#traffic #roadsafety #unlicensed #tourbus #duediligence
2026-06-08
