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Updated Friday, June 17, 2011 0:04 am TWN, CNA

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Transport ministry to set up national car-free day

TAIPEI--In an effort to promote low-carbon transport, the minister of transportation and communications went to work using public transport yesterday as the ministry marked its first ever car-free day.

Mao Chi-kuo also declared that the third Wednesday of every month shall be a car-free day for Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) officials.

Mao took the bus to work, without any media hype. He then welcomed Jao Chih-chien, deputy director-general of the MOTC's department of statistics, who is physically challenged but still took the bus to work to support the event, at the front gate.

The results of a survey released by the MOTC in May found that 13.9 percent of the population use public transport, while only 12.5 percent of public servants use public transport.

Mao said officials need to set a good example before calling for the public to protect the earth by making more use of public transport.

The ministry also said its car-free day will be held for six months on an experimental basis and staff opinions will be considered before it becomes a regular event.

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