From the 30th, 'Ddokbus' Launches in Suwon Gwanggyo with Poor Public Transportation Conditions

Suwon City will begin pilot operation of the Ddokbus in Suwon Gwanggyo and other areas starting from the 30th.

A new concept transportation service called 'Ddokbus,' which comes when passengers call without fixed routes or schedules, will operate throughout Gwanggyo, Suwon starting from the 30th.

'Ddokbus' means 'smartly moving bus' and is a Gyeonggi-do type demand-responsive transport (DRT) brand.

Suwon City will officially operate 10 vehicles from June 7 after a pilot operation. Ddokbus is an 11-seat van and operates daily from 6 a.m. to midnight.

Ddokbus is a demand-responsive transport service that operates flexibly within a designated area based on passenger reservations and calls, without fixed routes or schedules.

Using AI (artificial intelligence), it creates the optimal travel route in real-time according to passenger demand.

Passengers can call Ddokbus and pay fares through the integrated transportation platform app 'Ddokta,' operated by Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation. When a passenger calls, the system calculates and informs the passenger in real-time of the route, boarding location, and boarding and alighting times based on the nearest Ddokbus.

If passengers with similar travel routes book at the same time, AI generates a detour route in real-time to enable ride-sharing.

The fare is 1,450 KRW (based on transportation card), the same as a regular city bus. Metropolitan area integrated transfer discounts apply, making it affordable to use.

Gyeonggi-do first piloted Ddokbus in December 2021 in the Paju Unjeong New Town and Gyoha District areas. By April this year, over 350,000 people had used it. Users are highly satisfied as they can travel quickly and conveniently to their destinations at a low transportation cost.

Gyeonggi-do plans to introduce 126 Ddokbus vehicles to 10 cities and counties in the province, including Suwon City, by August this year.

A Suwon City official said, "Ddokbus will operate in Gwanggyo 1 and 2-dong, where public transportation is relatively poor, making it much more convenient for citizens to travel," adding, "For seniors who have difficulty using smartphones, we will provide education on installing and using the Ddokta app at Suwon City's digital learning centers in the Gwanggyo area to support their use of Ddokbus."