國道計程收費2013年底剛上路，全面電子化之下國道收費站也走入歷史， 對於用路人來說，通行更迅速方便，不過也造成許多國道收費員失業。今天這個單元，我們要帶您回顧已走入歷史的國道收費站，近四十年的點點滴滴，也讓我們感受一下，一路以來國道收費員的辛苦。
[[泰山收費站 站長 呂理棋]]
“泰山收費站是在民國63年6月1號成立，它是到7月29號那天開始通車，因為是十大建設，(通車典禮)相當地盛大，那是台灣第一條高速公路，第一個收費站，我們的高速公路從成立開始，都是一直招考是女性收費員，到民國84年以後，它有一個粉領聯盟，還有一個女子團結陣線來這邊抗議，所以那時才採用男性收費員”
戴上口罩安全帽，發動機車，下午兩點半，從家裡出門， 準備去另一個家。
[[泰山收費站收費員 張梅香]]
“還沒結婚之前，我在台汽服務過，台汽結束之後，因為有小孩 就很自然在家帶小孩，(後來)我覺得小孩子大了，還是需要說有一份工作讓我有，不要每天悶在家裡那種感覺，所以我就透過同事的介紹，然後知道收費站這方面的訊息，所以我就報考’
從公路局到國道，張梅香一次報考 一舉中的，展開他的收費員生涯。張梅香有個絕技，那就是蓋章。
這是十二年的經驗換來的習慣。張梅香大概是全台灣人當中，對人點頭次數最多的前幾名，每收一次錢 一張票，就要點一次頭，這是他對用路人的溫暖回應，不過一定也有不被溫暖對待的時候。
[[泰山收費站收費員 張梅香]]
“我印象當中，有一次我上大車(車道) ，他跟我講說他要買兩本，然後我就給他兩本不用找，他拿到票之後馬上開走，我一接住的時候我就知道是偽鈔，我就喊他 他都不停”
其實收費並不難，最大的難題反而是面對用路人的那短短三十秒，伴隨而來的還有職業傷害。
[[泰山收費站收費員 張梅香]]
“其實不簡單，因為別站車流量比較少還好，可是泰山真的車流量非常之大，
然後你每天要應付到那麼多用路人，所以那個心情有時候真的是會變不好，
還有像我的手腕這個地方，有點好像職業(傷害) ，因為動的動作太多了’
一整天站下來，雙手 雙腿會感覺不像自己的，只有趁著吃飯的空檔，才有機會稍做休息。張梅香知道，收費員做得好 收得快是應該，沒人誇 也不會有獎勵，，能支撐他做十二年的原因，只有一個。
大女兒雅涵、小女兒嘉柔，就是張梅香跑去當收費員的主因，他希望工作換來的一份薪水，能讓兩個女兒過得更好，不過一開始 小女兒並不領情。
[[張梅香女兒 林嘉柔]]
“從小看不到媽媽就會哭啊 ，他剛去上班的時候超不習慣的，因為小時候爸爸也滿常工作不在家，然後黏媽媽 黏習慣了，找不到他就會想哭，然後哭的時候打電話，有時候他沒有休息，就接不到 然後就一直打電話找他”
收費員工作休息時間緊張，無法隨時接電話，因此對於嘉柔來說，媽媽上班之時，是有如消失般的毫無音訊，那年八歲的嘉柔被迫長大，跟著早熟的姐姐學習獨立，學會不讓媽媽擔心，不顧女兒也能了解媽媽的辛苦。
[[張梅香女兒 林嘉柔]]
“很辛苦啊，就是幾乎上班，都要八九個小時在那邊，我記得他會跟我講，他就是有時候肚子痛，因為他腸胃不好，肚子很痛的時候，他就要一直忍著，忍到休息時間 然後趕快去廁所，不然就是也沒有辦法，臨時找個人代替他 然後去收車子”
小女兒開始打工了後，也開始理解媽媽這樣，在外工作不容易，還得看人臉色，這也才懂得多次獲得績優收費員，獲得讚揚的母親，得來有多麼不容易。
時代的巨輪繼續往前滾，國道計程在2013年年底上路後，近一千名的國道收費員瞬間失業。張梅香和他的一千個同事的點頭，已成為回憶，而你我可曾認真的看過他們，點頭致意，甚至溫暖回禮嗎?
A look back at life in a toll booth for a dozen years (2014/01/26)
Taiwan’s toll booths became a historic relic late last year when the nation implemented the world’s first fully electronic toll collection system. The biggest victims of the change are the toll collectors who immediately entered the unemployment ranks. Tonight we look back at what work was like for one toll collector at Taishan Toll Station. What used to be a part of everyday life for her is now confined to the past.
Lu Li-chi
Taishan Toll Station Chief
The Taishan Toll Station was completed on June 1, 1974, and opened for motorists on July 29. Since it was part of the “Ten Major Construction Projects,” the opening ceremony was a grand occasion. It was part of Taiwan’s first freeway and was the first toll station. From the beginning, only female toll collectors were recruited. This policy continued until 1995 when a pink-collar coalition and a women’s group protested. Later we also recruited men to serve in this role.
After putting on a helmet and a mask, this toll collector starts her scooter and leaves her home at 2:30 in the afternoon. She heads for the toll station, which is like her home away from home.
Chang Mei-hsiang
Taishan Toll Collector
When I was single, I worked for Taiwan Motor Transport Company. When that company ended operations, I stayed at home because of my children. But later, I felt that my children had grown and that I should find a job for myself, rather than being bored at home all day. After I heard about the toll station and a colleague introduced me, I registered for the test.
Chang Mei-hsiang passed tests that allowed her to work for the Directorate General of Highways and the National Freeway Bureau. She soon embarked upon a career as a toll collector. Along the way, she developed a special skill set related to stamping toll receipts and booklets.
Chang is speaking from her 20 years of experience. She’s also known for nodding to each motorist every time she receives money or a toll ticket. This sincerity and warmth isn’t always reciprocated.
Chang Mei-hsiang
Taishan Toll Collector
I remember working at this toll station one time when a person told me he wanted to purchase two books of toll tickets and I didn’t need to give change. After he took the tickets, he immediately sped away. Then I realized that the bills were counterfeit. I called after him, but he didn’t stop.
Individually, it’s not difficult collecting tolls. The hardest part of the job is the fact that a new motorist appears every 30 seconds or so. This high volume could lead to occupational injuries.
Chang Mei-hsiang
Taishan Toll Collector
Actually, it’s not that easy here because other toll stations have less traffic. Taishan is one of the busiest, and dealing with so many motorists each day can be a bit depressing. I think my wrist suffers from an occupational injury because I spend so much time moving it.
Standing at the toll station can be tiring. Chang says the only time she rests is when eating. Chang knows that even if she does a good job, she won’t receive any praise. In fact, there’s only one reason why she was able to stay for 12 years.
Chang’s children, Ya-han and Chia-rou, keep her in this job. She hopes that the salary she earns can improve their lives. Still, her younger daughter initially had trouble accepting that Mom had to go to work.
Lin Chia-rou
Chang’s Daughter
When I was young, I cried when I didn’t see my mother. At the beginning, I wasn’t accustomed to seeing her go to work, and my father was rarely home because of his job. This meant that I used to spend lots of time with my mother. When I didn’t see her, I’d cry. I would give her a call, but sometimes she wouldn’t have a break and couldn’t speak to me. I’d just keep calling.
Toll collectors don’t have much chance to rest and typically can’t answer the phone. This forced Chang’s daughters to become more independent. Chia-rou was only 8 years old when her mom started work and had to learn from her elder sister. Neither wanted their mother to worry.
Lin Chia-rou
Chang’s Daughter
It was difficult because she would need to work eight to nine hours at a time. I remember her telling me that she would sometimes suffer stomach pains because she has a sensitive stomach. She would just have to endure the pain. She actually had to wait until she had a break to rush to the toilet. Otherwise, there would be no chance for her to go. The only other option was finding someone to stand in and collect tolls for her.
When Chang’s youngest daughter started working, she began to understand the difficulty her mother experienced. Working is not easy, and dealing with so many people with bad attitudes while still being recognized as an “outstanding toll collector” is something that her daughter could only appreciate later.
Advances in technology have allowed for automated collection of metered freeway tolls. At the end of 2013, Taiwan implemented fully electronic toll collection, which led to unemployment for Chang and nearly a thousand other toll collectors. All they can do now is only look back on their past job with fond memories.
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