Six Metropolitan Bus Routes Including Gimpo, Gwangmyeong, and Yangju Introduce 'Quasi-Public Operation System' for the First Time

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Metropolitan Area Wide-area Transportation Committee announced on the 20th that it will sequentially operate a pilot quasi-public operation system on six general wide-area bus routes starting from the 22nd.

The route operating from Gimpo City Ganghwa Terminal to Sinchon Station will run 90 times daily on weekdays, weekends, and holidays starting from the 22nd. The Gwangmyeong (KTX Gwangmyeong Station to Incheon University), Yangju (Deokjeong Station to Seoul Station), and Siheung (Neunggok Station to Sadang Station) routes will operate 40 to 42 times daily on weekdays starting next month.

After December, the Yongin (Namsa Agok to Sungnyemun) and Icheon (Icheon Terminal to Gangnam Station) routes are scheduled to operate 40 times daily on weekdays.

The pilot project for the general wide-area bus quasi-public operation system will use new vehicles equipped with various convenience facilities to provide improved services to passengers.

The distance between front and rear seats will be expanded from 800 mm to 854 mm, and most vehicles will be equipped with adjustable spacing functions between side seats to offer a comfortable passenger space. To improve in-vehicle air quality, vehicles will be equipped with a smart ventilation system and air purification filters. Free public Wi-Fi and USB charging ports at passenger seats will also be installed.

However, considering that the Gimpo route is a return route, existing vehicles (15 units) will be used, so only some convenience facilities such as Wi-Fi and air purification filters will be provided at the same level as new vehicles until the vehicles are replaced.

The government plans to select 18 additional routes for the quasi-public operation system within this year so that more citizens can enjoy better wide-area transportation services. Koo Heon-sang, Director of the Metropolitan Transportation Policy Bureau at the Metropolitan Area Wide-area Transportation Committee, said, "We will do our best to manage services so that passenger satisfaction can continuously improve through the wide-area bus quasi-public operation system."