Nowon-gu Supports Outing Vehicles for Severely Disabled Persons

A Mini Bus for Outings Accommodating 4 Wheelchairs and 5 Non-Disabled Passengers Simultaneously... Year-Round Operation for Disability Groups and Institutions in Nowon-gu... Reserve at Least 5 Days in Advance on Nowon Education Welfare Foundation Website (www.newf.or.kr)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is launching a "outing vehicle support project" to enhance cultural and leisure opportunities for severely disabled people who use wheelchairs.

The vehicle supported through a rental car service is called "Daramika," a minibus that can simultaneously accommodate 4 wheelchairs and 5 non-disabled passengers.

The service is available year-round to disability organizations and institutions within Nowon-gu. The usage fee is free, but users must cover fuel costs, tolls, and traffic fines.

Rental conditions require that at least one severely disabled person using a wheelchair must be on board, and to prevent concentration in specific organizations, the annual usage is limited to within 20 days.

The vehicle can be easily driven by anyone holding a Class 1 regular driver's license and can be picked up and returned between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays. Users must receive instructions on operation methods and precautions at the designated location 30 minutes before vehicle pickup.

Applications can be made by reserving at least 5 days before the desired vehicle use date on the Nowon Education Welfare Foundation website (www.newf.or.kr). After registering user information such as institutions, applicants must fill out the vehicle rental date, destination, and purpose of use, and submit related documents such as the institution’s unique number or business registration certificate and the vehicle driver’s license through the website.

Additionally, outing plans and supporting photos for the result report should be submitted via email to the foundation’s contact person at sky182kr@naver.com.

The project was initiated after on-site visits to over 60 social welfare facilities last year. Many expressed difficulties in mobility due to the lack of dedicated outing vehicles for disabled people’s cultural and leisure activities. With about 80 million KRW in donations to the Nowon Education Welfare Foundation, a vehicle to support outings for disabled people was purchased.

For more details about Daramika, inquiries can be made to the Nowon-gu Office Welfare Policy Division and the Nowon Education Welfare Foundation.

Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “We expect improved mobility convenience through the support of outing vehicles for severely disabled people,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to build a social safety net for socially vulnerable groups such as the disabled.”