The date of the official launch of amphibious vehicle tours in the southern city of Kaohsiung has been put back to March 2, 2010, a city official said Tuesday. The postponement has been made to allow more time for test runs of the vehicle to ensure passenger safety, according to Wang Kwo-tsai, director-general of the city's Transportation Bureau. The city government had originally planned to begin test runs in early December and to officially launch the service in January. Under a new plan worked out by the city government, the first phase of the test runs will begin Dec. 20 and continue through Jan. 21, during which water tours will be provided to social welfare and tour groups interested in trying the service, Wang said. In the second phase, which will run from Jan. 22 to Feb. 28, free tickets will be offered to tourists staying in Kaohsiung hotels, he went on. The tours will start and finish at the Hanshin Arena shopping mall so that passengers can also go shopping, he added. The 60-minute tours will allow passengers to sightsee on land and water, including a cruise on scenic Lotus Lake and a ride around the surrounding area. There will be six tours per day for a maximum of 30 passengers per tour. Ticket prices will be NT$300 for adults and NT$150 for children. 