Mobile Banking Vehicles of Taiwan Industrial and Commercial Bank
In the early days of Taiwan, financial institutions were not widespread, making banking services inconvenient. In 1948, the Taiwan Industrial and Commercial Bank purchased 12 large vehicles to establish the "Mobile Banking Fleet," becoming the first institution to offer financial services to rural areas through a mobile banking concept. At that time, the sugar industry was burgeoning, with many agricultural and agro-processing areas located in central and southern Taiwan. The mobile banking fleet mainly operated in Chiayi, Tainan, Pingtung, Gangshan, and Fengshan branches. It provided timely payments to sugarcane farmers for the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and offered rural financial services. By 1951, the Taiwan Sugar Corporation centralized sugarcane payments through the Bank of Taiwan, and local financial industries began to flourish. The "Mobile Banking Fleet" had successfully completed its mission in aiding financial development during that era.