The inauguration of the ‘Taiwan Transportation Safety Board’(TTSB) was held at the International Conference Hall, 15th floor of Dapinglin Joint Development Building, Xindian District of New Taipei City on August first, 2019.

The inauguration was hosted by Mr. Li, Meng-yen, Secretary-General of Executive Yuan. Minister Lin, Chia-lung, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Legislator Cheng, Pao-ching, Hsiao, Bi-khim, Legislative Yuan and Chairperson Young, Hong-tsu, Taiwan Transportation Safety Board have been invited to give speeches. The Secretary-General Li, the chairman Yang and the distinguished guests jointly unveiled ceremony of the ‘Taiwan Transportation Safety Board’. In addition to the TTSB staff, the ceremony also gathered over 180 top management and professionals from the industry, official and university including Executive Yuan, Legislative Yuan, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Civil Service, Foreign Institutions Office in Taipei, Aviation, Marine, Rail, Highway related institutions and Media.

The successive flight accidents occurred since the beginning of 1998 had caused great damage to numerous lives and properties, which also struck national aviation developments severely. To improve flight safety and to avoid accidents from reoccurring, the Executive Yuan established ‘Aviation Safety Council’(ASC) on May 25th, 1998 to perform duties specialized on aviation occurrence identification, occurrence investigation, and occurrence probable cause determination on national aircraft. In order to exert efficiently the independence and credibility required as an investigation organization, the Aviation Safety Council has actively promoted the establishment of one independent organization that executes the occurrence investigation duties independently. After years of efforts with the support from the Executive Yuan and the Legislative Yuan, and in cooperation in government’s reorganization plan, the ‘Organization Act of Aviation Safety Council’ finally went through the third reading at the Legislative Yuan on Oct 28th, 2011. The ‘Aviation Safety Council’ would become officially an independent organization.

The sole objective of the aviation occurrence investigation is to prevent the recurrence of similar aviation occurrences, so as to ensure a safer sky. Since its establishment, the ASC has conducted each investigation on the flight occurrence of civil and public aircraft according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, which means that the investigated parties have the right and obligation to participate in the occurrence investigation. The procedures are open and the investigation final report is also open to the public. ASC has issued recommendations based on the investigation conclusions, and work together with relevant agencies, aviation operators and aircraft manufacturers to address the root cause and potential risk of the occurrence. More than 1,063 recommendations has issued so far to effectively improve flight safety. In addition, the 10 years moving average occurrence rate of turbojet airplane was reduced from 2.73 per million departures to zero. Since then, the ASC has received recognition and high reputation for its independent, professional and performance from domestic people and international aviation accident investigation organizations.

On October 21, 2018, a Taiwan Rail accident caused catastrophic damage to human life and property. To response to the expectation of national civilian, the Taiwan Transportation Safety Board (TTSB) was reorganized from ASC to investigate multi modal transportation accidents. The draft revisions of “Taiwan Transportation Safety Board Organization Act” and ”Taiwan Transportation Safety Board Investigation Act” were approved by the Legislative Yuan on April 2, 2019 and the TTSB will independently investigate including aviation, marine, rail and highway major accidents.

According to The Organization Act of Taiwan Transportation Safety Board, the TTSB’s duties are manage notification, investigation, cause identification and investigation reports of transportation occurrence and issue and issue transportation safety recommendations; analyze the trend of the transportation occurrences, follow up the execution of the safety recommendations, research the latest developments in the investigation work and projects of significant transportation safety events; establish the capability of the investigation technique of the transportation occurrence, read out recorders and engineering analysis; study, establish, revise and abolish regulations related to the transportation occurrence investigation; coordinate and communicate with transportation occurrence investigation organizations and transportation safety organizations in the nation and abroad and other matters related to the transportation occurrence investigation.

Chairperson Yang said that establishment of the TTSB, he will continue to uphold the spirit of independence, impartiality and professionalism, carry out major of sea, land and air transportation accidents investigation, and build a more complete transportation environment in Taiwan. It is imperative to reassure passengers, the peace of mind of the people, the safety of life and property of the people, and the expectation that all the staff of the TTSB will regard this task as a career. I believe that with the help of the Plenary, we will be able to create a new page for Taiwan's transportation safety. We will continue to work hard to protect and ensure the safety of all people, and at the same level as the advanced countries in the world.

Sherry Liu, Safety Investigator
Tel: 89127388-330
Email: sherry@ttsb.gov.tw