Toward the later days of Japanese rule, the development of highways caused competition between the railroad and motor transportation and many light railway lines were replaced with bus service.
しかし日本統治時代後半になると道路網の整備も一定の成果があると、鉄道と自動車輸送の競争が生じ多くの軽便鉄道がバス輸送に代替された。