Ulsan City Expands Operation of Low-Floor Buses and Call Taxis for Transportation-Disadvantaged Groups

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kang Sharon] Ulsan City announced on the 4th that it will promote the '2020 Mobility Convenience Implementation Plan for the Transportation Vulnerable,' which includes increasing low-floor buses and taxis for the disabled, to create a happy Ulsan for transportation vulnerable groups.

This plan is an annual implementation plan to execute the 3rd Ulsan City Transportation Vulnerable Mobility Convenience Promotion Plan (2017?2021), consisting of 13 tasks across 4 sectors.

By sector, the plan includes ▲Improvement of transportation means mobility convenience (3 projects) ▲Improvement of passenger facility mobility convenience (3 projects) ▲Improvement of road facility mobility convenience (5 projects) ▲System improvement (2 projects).

Key tasks include expanding and operating 10 low-floor buses and 7 special transportation vehicles such as taxis for the disabled to improve transportation means mobility convenience.

To improve passenger facility mobility convenience, bus stop facilities and the Bus Information System (BIS) will be improved, and to enhance road facility mobility convenience, the city and district/county road management authorities will undertake pedestrian environment improvement projects such as sidewalk and pedestrian path maintenance and installation.

For the safety of children and the elderly pedestrians, improvements will be promoted in 35 locations for child protection zones and 33 locations for elderly protection zones.

Additionally, following the passage of the amendment to the Road Traffic Act (commonly known as the 'Minsik Act'), safety facilities such as unmanned traffic enforcement equipment (79 locations) and traffic signals (50 locations) will be installed within child protection zones.

Furthermore, reflecting system improvement matters such as the revision of the Ulsan City Ordinance on the Promotion of Mobility Convenience for the Transportation Vulnerable, education to enhance understanding of transportation vulnerable groups will be provided to transportation operators and special transportation vehicle drivers, and a council will be operated to comprehensively manage the installation and management of mobility convenience facilities for the transportation vulnerable.

A city official stated, "If mobility convenience facilities for the transportation vulnerable are insufficiently installed, it can cause not only transportation inconvenience but also restrictions on economic and social activities, leading to infringement of the rights of the transportation vulnerable." He added, "We will promote user-centered policies to secure the pedestrian and mobility rights of the transportation vulnerable."