Taking place on 01-02 October at the Four Points by Sheraton Singapore, Riverview hotel, the internationally recognised event will unite senior policymakers, industry leaders and innovators to share best practice in the planning, financing, implementation and operation of tolling, road usage charging (RUC) and mobility pricing schemes across highways, urban roads and cross-border corridors.

Among this year’s confirmed speakers is Dr Shih-Ming You, counselor of Taipei City Government and assistant professor at National Chengchi University (NCCU) in Taiwan.

You has previously served as the director-general of Taipei’s Department of Finance, deputy director-general of National Property Administration, Ministry of Finance (MOF) and section chief, Department of Land Administration, Ministry of the Interior (MOI).

You is in charge of application for 2029 ITS world congress and successfully won the hosting right for Taipei city. He is also one of the speaker for 2025 ITS world congress in Georgia.

He also lectures regularly at National Chengchi University (NCCU) for international property use and valuation topics, implement theory into practice.

At this year’s conference, You will present the case study: Taiwan’s ETC success and lessons learned, covering the implementation and impact of Taiwan’s all-electronic toll collection system; strategies for achieving high user compliance and satisfaction; and future upgrades for expanding ETC functionality.

Name: Shih-Ming You

Job Title: Counselor and Assistant Professor

Organisation: Taipei City Government and National Chengchi University

What is the most rewarding aspect of your role?
I once served as deputy secretary-general, to overseeing the city government’s transportation, MRT, finance, accounting, industry development, civil affairs, environmental protection, water supply, reservoirs, legal affairs, military service, and land administration, etc. With my background in the central government’s Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Finance, I can promote relevant policies from an overall level.

What is the most pressing challenge for user-financed transportation in 2025?
With my background as director of the Department of Finance, I understand the importance of financial support in promoting policies. Although Taiwan’s expressways have completed full electronic toll collection, general road use is only reflected in the collection of the fuel fee, which is still some distance away from the true RUC spirit.

What is your best piece of advice for those implementing user-financed transport schemes?
Roads are the most important infrastructure that provides people with daily access for work, life, travel, and other purposes. Just like blood vessels in the human body require good nutrients, implementing RUC in road construction and maintenance can provide a safe and sustainable driving environment.

Does legislation support or hinder innovation in this sector?
Article 21 of Taiwan’s Highway Act stipulates that a highway may charge fees from passing public or private institutions that construct dedicated highways and concurrently operate highway operators approved by the highway authority may collect tolls from vehicles passing through such dedicated highways. While Article 27 stipulates that highway authorities may levy vehicle fuel usage fees to fund highway maintenance, construction, and safety management. Both articles demonstrate the necessity of legislation for the implementation of RUC.

How will user-financed transport schemes evolve by 2030?
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has a vision of “people-oriented transportation” and prioritises “safety, efficiency, quality, and green” as the guiding principles of its sustainable development blueprint. By 2030, all city buses will be fully electrified. While the ETC project has reached a 95% eTag installation rate, the MOTC will continue to address the remaining 5% of users who have not yet installed the eTag and the outstanding ETC fees, thereby ensuring user-financed transportation.

Why are you looking forward to speaking at Road User Charging Conference Asia Pacific 2025?
RUC is a very important concept in road provision and user payment in various countries. In addition to sharing Taiwan’s experience, the seminar will also be an opportunity to discover the concepts of RUC from experts around the world. With the help of intelligent transportation systems, we can achieve a safer, fairer, and more efficient driving environment, which is very anticipating for everyone to attend the RUC conference together.