To improve transportation accessibility in remote areas, the Nantou County Government held the "Nantou Happiness GO – ShuiLi Township Trial Operation Launch Ceremony" on Tuesday, July 29 at 2:00 PM, on the first floor of the community center shared by Nangguang, Beipu, and JuGong villages (No. 37, Bo’ai Road, ShuiLi Township, Nantou County).
County Magistrate Hsu Shu-hua personally attended the event, demonstrating her strong commitment to transportation equity in rural areas. The ceremony was also strongly supported by local representatives, including ShuiLi Township Mayor Yeh Ming-feng, representatives from the offices of Legislators You Hao and Ma Wen-jun, as well as various county council member offices. The event brought together stakeholders from all sectors, uniting local efforts to create a more convenient and safer transportation environment for ShuiLi Township and marking a new beginning for the localized Happiness GO service.
Since its initial launch in September last year in Zhushan, Mingjian, and Lugu Townships, "Nantou Happiness GO" has completed 15,000 service rides and served more than 47,000 passengers as of the end of June this year. The program has significantly improved transportation for seniors, students, and local residents, becoming an essential tool for commuting, medical visits, and daily errands.
To ensure the service design meets local needs, the county government hosted an early coordination meeting in June with the ShuiLi Township Office, village offices, schools, and community development associations. During the meeting, detailed discussions were held regarding route planning and service content to achieve consensus and improve the program's design.
The Happiness GO service in ShuiLi Township is operated by General Bus Company, covering intra-township routes and extending to nearby living zones such as Zhushan, Xinyi, and Jiji urban areas. The service adopts a fully flexible, reservation-only model. Residents can book rides via the 0800-885-658 customer service hotline, the official LINE account, or through village offices. Service eligibility includes areas not covered by existing public bus routes or with no bus service within an hour before or after the desired time. The system also supports connections to intercity bus services for access beyond the local area, providing more comprehensive transportation options.
Passengers must make a reservation at least one day in advance. The fare is distance-based, with a base fare of NT$25 for adults and NT$13 for concession tickets. Fares are calculated in segments of 8 kilometers, up to a maximum of three fare segments.
According to the Nantou County Department of Transportation Engineering and Management, the Happiness GO service in ShuiLi Township will offer **free rides during the trial operation period** to encourage residents to try it out. In the future, service frequency, booking procedures, and overall service quality will be continuously optimized based on user feedback. The county government also plans to expand the program to all 13 townships and towns across Nantou next year, building a more complete transportation network for remote areas.