Sancheong-gun, Achieves Results in Expanding Local Bus Routes Project

16 New and Modified Routes Including Saengcho and Sindeung Over 2 Years
Real-Time Bus Operation Information System Also Being Developed

Elderly residents of Jungmae Village, Obu-myeon, rejoice as Sancheong-gun expands the local bus routes. (Photo by Sancheong-gun)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam announced on the 17th that it is promoting a project to expand the operation routes of county buses to provide customized transportation services in response to the local conditions of a large elderly population.

Through the route expansion project, the county expanded and changed six village bus routes in 2019, including Saengcho Wonki Village, Geumseo Sancheong Nursing Hospital, round-trip operation between Singi and Cheonghyeon areas in Sinan-myeon, and Sindung Jangcheon, Dugok, and Mulsan villages. In addition, three new routes were established in Danseong Western area, Cheonggye area, and Gwanjeong area.

This year, from September, extended operation twice a day will be implemented in three places: Hanbat Village in Sancheong-eup Naeri, Jungmae Village in Obu-myeon, and Suwol Jeonwon Village in Sinan-myeon.

Also, passenger waiting shelters were newly established in four places: Jeongji Village in Obu, Simgeo Village in Sinan, Space Highvill in Sinan, and Dojeon Bridge in Saengbiryang-myeon, improving public transportation convenience for village residents.

The expansion and establishment of routes and passenger waiting shelters were possible because Sancheong-gun and the bus operators held several consultations to discuss improving public transportation welfare for local residents.

Along with the establishment and expansion of bus routes, the county plans to build an integrated rural area BIS (Bus Information System) to provide real-time bus operation information, and from the second half of this year, it will also conduct a county bus transport revenue and expenditure analysis service to analyze the operation status by route.

A county official said, “The expansion of bus operations to villages where public transportation was relatively inconvenient is expected to improve transportation welfare for residents in those areas as well as revitalize the economy. We will continue to strive to promote region-specific and senior citizen-customized transportation policies.”

This project provides boarding convenience for transportation-vulnerable groups such as the elderly and disabled, and offers services such as bus time and route guidance for bus terminal users.