Wheelchair Users, Pregnant Women, and Others Eligible for 2,000 KRW per Ride, Up to 4 Rides per Day
Jinju City held a launch ceremony for the voucher taxi service for transportation-vulnerable individuals.
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] On the 16th, Jinju City in Gyeongnam held a launch ceremony for the operation of 50 'voucher taxis for transportation-vulnerable people' at Jinju Sports Complex.
The launch ceremony was attended by about 80 people including Deputy Mayor Shin Jong-woo, members of the National Assembly, city council members, representatives of private taxi associations and corporate taxis, and taxi drivers to celebrate the launch of the voucher taxi service.
The attending drivers pledged to operate the voucher taxis with safe driving and courteous service.
The voucher taxis operate by providing regular taxi services during normal times, but when a transportation-vulnerable person applies for use through the Gyeongnam Disabled Telephone Counseling Center, the service prioritizes dispatching to them first.
The service is only available within the city, and the fare is 2,000 KRW per person per trip. The city subsidizes up to 100,000 KRW per person per month, allowing up to 4 one-way trips per person per day.
Operating hours are from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and eligible users include non-wheelchair disabled persons, those aged 65 or older who have difficulty using public transportation, and pregnant women.
The existing 'Disabled Call Taxi' service has allowed any registered member classified as transportation-vulnerable, regardless of wheelchair use, to use it, which caused dispatch delays due to passenger surges during commuting hours. The voucher taxi was introduced to resolve these issues.
Jinju City expects that with 50 voucher taxis operating alongside the currently running 34 disabled call taxis, the waiting time for transportation-vulnerable people will be significantly reduced and dispatch delays for call taxis will be resolved.
It is also anticipated that membership registration for special transportation means for transportation-vulnerable people will increase substantially.
Deputy Mayor Shin Jong-woo said, “The introduction of voucher taxis will alleviate the inconveniences faced by users of disabled call taxis and contribute to improving the mobility convenience of transportation-vulnerable people.”
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