"Prepare for the Chungnam-style Discounted Transportation Card Before School Starts"

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province encourages the issuance of Chungnam-type Altteul Transportation Cards within this month in preparation for the increase in usage after the school semester begins.

According to the province on the 16th, the Altteul Transportation Card has been issued since April last year to children and adolescents aged 6 to 18, following Chungnam’s nationwide first policy of free bus fares for children and youth.

The free bus fare system is implemented by paying the bus fare first with the Altteul Transportation Card and then reimbursing up to three rides per day.

Issuance of the Altteul Transportation Card is done by signing up on the Altteul Transportation Card website and receiving the card at the local town or township office of the resident’s jurisdiction. After receiving the card, users must install the Altteul Transportation Card app on the mobile phone registered during website sign-up and register the card.

Since it is a reimbursement system, users must charge a certain amount at convenience stores before use. The bus fare used is reimbursed as mileage through the Altteul Transportation Card app’s ‘My Gift Box’ between the 10th and 17th of the following month.

However, for children under 13 or adolescents without a mobile phone, a guardian or household head must sign up on the website, install the app, and register on their behalf. When signing up with a guardian’s mobile phone number, the app installation must also be done on the guardian’s mobile phone.

Choi Ki-ho, head of the Transportation Policy Division of the province, said, “Bus card usage by children and adolescents is expected to increase from next month,” and added, “Parents or guardians of children and adolescents who have not yet received the Altteul Transportation Card are advised to issue and register the card in advance.”

Meanwhile, from April to December last year, the number of Altteul Transportation Card users was 86,598 (33%) out of approximately 260,000 children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 in the province. The budget required for free bus fares for children and adolescents is expected to increase from 9.6 billion KRW last year to 10.3 billion KRW this year.