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| A More Eco-Friendly Approach to Travel: YouBike Covers the Last Mile for Taitung’s Low-Carbon Tourism |
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As the world is looking for ways to coexist with nature, Taitung, with its pristine mountains and coast, has come up with a solution that follows its own pace. Holding sustainability as a core value, we are restructuring the vitality of the city, from the low-carbon transition of our transport network and creative reuse of waste materials to social mobility brought about by digital nomadism and corporate slow travel. This series of articles will show people how Taitung is turning the concept of slow living into a resilience that safeguards the land by ensuring that every event, trip, and administrative policy is aimed at maintaining the purity of Taitung’s environment. Let’s have a look at how Taitung is reducing the size of its footprint on nature, living symbiotically with the Earth, and striving toward a sustainable future. As the world becomes increasingly concerned with eco-friendliness and reducing carbon emissions, people’s ideas for the modern city have evolved. They no longer only care about how wide the roads are and how fast they can get from point A to point B—the effects of transportation on the environment (for both locals and visitors) are now also viewed with importance. Located in eastern Taiwan, Taitung has welcomed a growing presence of YouBike 2.0 recently, resolving such longstanding problems as finding transport to one’s destination after getting off the train, creating a new lifestyle that matches the local pace of life and makes low-carbon living more accessible. BEYOND THE CITY:
YOUBIKES BRING PEOPLE TO RURAL LOCALES  Taitung’s YouBike stations have not just been randomly scattered about; we have put a lot of thought into where they should go based on feedback from users regarding aspects related to transportation, vicinity to schools, dense residential areas, government agencies, and popular spots. As of early 2026, there were over 115 stations, some in Taitung City and others in such comparatively rural areas as Beinan, Luye, Guanshan, Chishang, Chenggong, and Taimali. This arrangement connects different locales, expanding people’s scope of exploration and giving them more freedom in how they go about it. Due to Taitung’s lengthy array of roads and the scorching heat of summer, the Taitung County Government’s contract for 1,200 YouBikes stipulates that half of them are to be pedal-assisted e-bikes, so cycling is much easier and thus more pleasant, even up hills and for long distances. The data shows that the train station is the most popular YouBike rental spot, verifying the fact that, after getting off the train, many people use the bikes to get to accommodations and tourist spots that are “kind of but not really that far away.”  CONNECTING TAITUNG’S MANY FACETS:
THE PERFECT SOLUTION FOR COMMUTING AND TOURISM  One of the most difficult things about planning transportation for a trip is the final leg after mass transportation gets you almost to your destination. People have usually had little choice but to take a taxi or rent a vehicle, which is costly and causes traffic jams at scenic spots. But YouBike is Taitung’s missing piece of the tourism puzzle, connecting people to wherever they need to go. With TPASS’s monthly-pass discounts, lots of students and workers commute via YouBike on weekdays, reducing the burden on the environment and their wallets. But on weekends and extended holidays, YouBike goes into tourism mode, so there is this perfect balance of serving the locals on weekdays and tourists on days off. This symbiotic system boosts the usage rate while diminishing the number of motorized vehicles on the road. With people willing to use bikes and move at Taitung’s slow pace, the city has fewer traffic jams and less pollution, enhancing the environment and opening up more possibilities for people to discover the great variety of things and culture to see and experience. SUSTAINABILITY IN PRACTICE:
EVERY KILOMETER RIDDEN AS A GESTURE OF CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT The success of YouBike in Taitung has brought the city one step closer to achieving the UN’s SDGs. The digital rental system is so convenient, whether you are using an EasyCard, an iPASS, or scan-and-pay with a linked credit card—even foreign travelers find it quite simple! This has significantly enhanced Taitung’s user-friendliness while dramatically reducing carbon emissions. Data shows that even though YouBike has been in Taitung for a mere 14 months, it has led to a decline of 84,000 kilograms in carbon emissions. This figure represents social responsibility, because every time we choose to ride a bike instead of a gas-powered vehicle, we are taking action to combat climate change. It has turned Taitung into something more than a tourist paradise: it is now a low-carbon travel destination that boasts responsibility and a sense of depth, allowing every visitor to enjoy the beautiful scenery while helping preserve its natural purity. KEEP TAITUNG SLOW:
MAKING LOW-CARBON TOURISM THE NORM IN TAITUNG  Looking ahead, besides adding more stations in accordance with demand, we are also working on making the ride itself more pleasant. Existing bike paths are getting a makeover, and the heightened cohesion and safety of the bike path network will push riding quality to the next level. This low-carbon revolution shows that improving transportation does not necessarily imply major infrastructural engineering projects—the perfect balance between convenience and eco-friendliness can instead be reached by making use of smart technology and green modes of transport. YouBike is a symbol of Taitung’s transformation, reminding us that protecting the environment is not some inaccessible goal, but can be achieved with each bike rental and every kilometer ridden. As we move about on lighter vehicles, we are ensuring greater resilience for Taitung’s future. So the next time you visit this natural paradise of mountains, the sea, and the cleanest air in Taiwan, hop on one of those orange or yellow bikes to travel at just the right speed and experience the freedom and refreshing feeling offered only in Taitung. |
| © TAITUNG COUNTY GOVERNMENT 2025 |
