Taiwan Railway Administration’s Taichung station recently received an envelope containing NT$8,000 (US$275) along with a note explaining that the money was for unpaid fares.
The fact that this bout of anonymous honesty occurred before the upcoming Lunar New Year is no coincidence. Chinese tradition dictates that one should clear all debts before this, the most important festival on the calendar.
Taichung stationmaster Lin Ching-shan said with lower rail prices in effect these past years, it is more than likely the guilt-stricken passenger had been cheating the system for years.
Lin said there are many ways to avoid paying fares, including buying a local train ticket but getting on a more expensive train, or purchasing a ticket for a shorter trip than intended.
“Last year, employees at Taichung Station caught 130 would-be fare evaders who were required to make up the difference in fare plus 50 percent of the original ticket price as penalty,” he said.
(This article originally appeared in The Liberty Times Jan. 25.)