A bus driver protected the lives of his 31 passengers last week by driving them to safety after he suffered a heart attack on the highway. Yet he later died after reaching the hospital. In recognition of his sacrifice and heroic actions, Taichung Mayor Jason Hu awarded him a posthumous medal of honor on Monday, while the Council of Labor Affairs started an investigation to see if the driver was pushed to work overtime by the employer.

On Monday, the family of bus driver Tsai Kun-lin accepted a medal of valor on his behalf from the Taichung City Government. Although Tsai is no longer with them, his family is extremely proud of his selflessness and how he protected his passengers.

On the 16th, Tsai was driving a bus on Chungshan Highway when he suffered a heart attack.

He managed to steer the bus to a highway police station, where the police rushed him to a nearby hospital in a patrol car. Unfortunately, efforts to revive Tsai were unsuccessful.

The Council of Labor Affairs has launched an investigation into U-bus to determine whether the company's drivers are forced to work excessive hours.

Bus drivers in Taiwan are not only responsible for driving buses, but also announcing stops, taking care of passengers, assisting passengers on and off the buses, and moving luggage.

According to the bus company, drivers submit to alcohol testing before hitting the road and are only permitted to drive one north-south round trip per day on weekdays.

While drivers may sometimes work overtime on weekends and holidays, they are given 10 hours off between trips. In reality, however, drivers often end up working excessive hours due to traffic congestion.

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