Hou Yu-ih: New Taipei Senior Citizen Cards to Include Consumption Channels by 2026

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih stated in the city council today that the overall evaluation plan for the Senior Citizen Card has been completed. In addition to increasing points to 600, the city has decided to expand the scope of use in stages, allowing usage in consumption channels by 2026 with a monthly limit of 300 points. Mayor Hou stated that to address the arrival of a super-aged society and encourage seniors and people with disabilities to go out, points will be increased to 600 starting this July, and the first 30 minutes of YouBike 2.0E rides will be free. In the first half of 2026, the card will be usable for rehabilitation buses, health checkups at municipal hospitals, sightseeing buses, and hot springs. In the second half, it will expand to consumption channels such as farmers' associations, pharmacies, and convenience stores. To address the insufficient capacity of current cards, the city plans to fully upgrade to second-generation cards within two years and officially implement a point accumulation mechanism by 2028.