Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) said Monday that it is stepping up random checks after one of its drivers was found to have dozed off while on duty. The random checks will be increased from 25 percent to 40 percent of all drivers, the company said. Under current practices, drivers undergo a regular physical checkup every year. They also have to undergo irregular random urine checks and alcohol and blood pressure tests before going on duty. The train in question departed from Zuoying at 4:30 p.m. on April 24. But both the company's traffic control center and train conductor detected warning signals at 5 p.m. and 5: 01 p.m., respectively, to indicate that the train was running without being operated by the driver. The traffic control center then authorized the train's conductor to check the driver's cabin and he was found in a semi-conscious state and was slow to respond. The conductor suggested that a new driver be brought on board. The sleepy driver, who was found to have taken too many sleeping pills when examined at a hospital later in the day, was replaced when the train reached Taichung Station. THSRC explained Monday that the driver has a sleeping disorder, and that he took two sleeping pills the night before he drove the train and another one the next morning. 'The driver was found to be unfit for the job after an investigation and was dismissed May 3,' THSRC said. The Bureau of High Speed Rail under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said passengers had reported that the train did not stop at its proper spot at TaIchung station, and it demanded that THSRC to give an explanation. THSRC provided a written report on May 7, but Bureau Director Chu Hsu was not satisfied with it being submitted so late. But it was still satisfied that safety devices (such as the warning system) functioned properly, enabling the train to run on automatic controls. Upon hearing of the incident, Control Yuan members Cheng Jen-hung and Chao Jung- yao took the initiative to launch an investigation. Cheng said the bullet train was running in a 'driverless' state for 13 minutes, and the Control Yuan, the nation's top watchdog of government behavior, wanted to know if the THSRC has a mechanism to deal with the situation and whether the company's management is sound. THSRC has 135 employees who have obtained driver's licences, but only 113 are on active duty, with the rest responsible for monitoring trains on a rotating basis. 