Gwangyang City to Operate Voucher Taxi Service Starting October

Expectations for Reduced Waiting Time for Disabled Call Taxis and Expansion of Transportation Options for Mobility-Impaired Individuals

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seonsik] Gwangyang City, Jeonnam announced on the 23rd that it will introduce 10 voucher taxis to alleviate the inconvenience caused by delays in call taxi waiting times for transportation-disadvantaged individuals and will operate them starting October 1.

Currently, the call taxis for the disabled, which serve as transportation means for the transportation-disadvantaged, are used by all users together regardless of wheelchair use, resulting in very long dispatch times and making usage difficult.

The city introduced voucher taxis to resolve the inconvenience of using call taxis for the disabled.

Voucher taxis are regular taxis that usually operate for the general public but provide service together when a non-wheelchair transportation-disadvantaged person requests a ride.

The purpose is to encourage non-wheelchair transportation-disadvantaged individuals to use voucher taxis, thereby reducing the number of call taxi uses by the disabled and making it easier for wheelchair users to use call taxis.

Before implementing the project, the city completed driver training and pilot operations through recruiting operators and establishing a call system.

When eligible users use voucher taxis, they can use them at the same fare as the currently operating call taxis for the disabled (500 KRW for the first 2 km, 100 KRW for each additional km).

With 10 call taxis for the disabled operated by the Gwangyang City Transportation-Disadvantaged Mobility Support Center and 10 voucher taxis running together, users' waiting times for transportation are expected to be significantly reduced.

Park Yanggyun, Director of the Transportation Department, said, “The introduction of voucher taxis will contribute to alleviating the inconvenience of transportation-disadvantaged individuals by shortening waiting times,” and added, “We will continuously monitor the use of voucher taxis and do our best to ensure there is no inconvenience in the mobility of transportation-disadvantaged individuals.”