Taiwan currently has approximately 23,000 highway bridges. According to the Guidelines for the Qualification and Training of Highway Bridge Inspection Personnel, the training and certification of highway bridge visual inspectors shall be conducted by highway authorities or their designated agencies. The training program consists of initial training and refresher training. Personnel who have obtained an initial training certificate are required to attend refresher training every four years. Only certified personnel are qualified to perform bridge inspection work.
The initial training curriculum covers Highway Maintenance Specifications, Specifications for Highway Bridge Inspection and Strengthening, relevant highway regulations, operation of the Bridge Management Information System (BMIS), and practical field training on actual bridges. Through hands-on group exercises—including identifying cracks in bridge superstructure and substructure components and operating the BMIS tablet application on site (Figure 1)—participants can effectively improve their practical inspection skills and learning efficiency.
The refresher training program includes updates on newly issued regulations and advances in bridge inspection technologies. To strengthen inspectors' capability in inspecting special bridges, such as cable-supported bridges, the Institute has incorporated on-site training for these bridge types into the refresher program (Figure 2). Participants will also gain practical experience by entering bridge box girders for inspection exercises (Figure 3), enabling them to better understand the techniques and key considerations involved in inspecting special bridge structures. Furthermore, an Advanced Refresher Course is available for personnel who have already completed the standard refresher training. This advanced course covers bridge design, seismic assessment, flood resilience evaluation, and strategies for bridge strengthening and rehabilitation, further enhancing participants' professional expertise.
The initial and refresher training programs will accommodate 246 and 180 participants, respectively. Eligible trainees include personnel responsible for bridge-related work from central government agencies, local governments, and engineering consulting firms. The Institute of Transportation, MOTC, will continue organizing bridge inspection training programs to cultivate professional bridge inspection personnel through comprehensive classroom instruction and practical field exercises, thereby contributing to improved bridge safety throughout Taiwan. Registration for the initial training program will be open from July 6 to July 10, 2026. Eligible applicants who meet the requirements specified in the Guidelines for the Qualification and Training of Highway Bridge Inspection Personnel are welcome to apply.
Figure 1.On-site practical training for the Bridge Management Information System tablet app (Yongfu Bridge)
Figure 2. On-site practical training for tension testing of special bridge steel cables using the vibration method (Dazhi Bridge)
Figure 3. On-site practical training inside the box girder of a special bridge (Hongyang Bridge)