Studio Galilei Selected as DRT Platform Operator for 'Sejong-si Duruta Bus Improvement Pilot Project'

Pilot Project Operation Starts in October for 4 Districts of Sejong City

[Photo: Sejong Special Self-Governing City Duruta Bus, Source=Sejong Urban Transportation Corporation]

Studio Galilee (CEO Kim Hyun-myung), a demand-responsive mobility platform startup, announced on the 10th that it has been selected as the preferred negotiation partner for the "Sejong Special Self-Governing City DRT (Duruta) Expansion and Operation System Reform Pilot Project" promoted by Sejong Special Self-Governing City, and will provide DRT (Demand Responsive Transport) platform services.

Sejong City introduced the demand-responsive bus "Duruta" in 2019 targeting eup and myeon areas with weak public transportation services, and it is currently operating in eight eup and myeon areas. The Duruta bus, as an urban transportation model project, has greatly contributed to improving citizens' mobility convenience and was selected as an excellent case of balanced development projects in 2022 by the National Balanced Development Committee.

Sejong City is promoting this project to expand the highly satisfactory Duruta bus service for citizens while simultaneously introducing an operation system that applies significantly improved demand-responsive platform technology compared to the existing reservation-based fixed-route operation system, ensuring more citizens can enjoy convenient mobility.

By introducing the AI and big data-based innovative mobility technology DRT platform service through this Duruta bus improvement pilot project, Sejong City expects to further strengthen the competitiveness of its public transportation and accelerate the transition to a public transportation-centered traffic system.

This pilot project is a demand-responsive public transportation service optimized according to usage demand, greatly improving the existing route-based and reservation-based service methods by operating without fixed routes and timetables, flexibly designing routes and schedules in real time according to call demand.

Starting in October, the pilot will operate in four areas: Jeonui-myeon (some areas around Jeonui Station), Jeondong-myeon, Yeondong-myeon, and Bugang-myeon. It will apply a Hybrid On Demand (HOD) model that combines real-time call-type (dynamic) DRT and fixed-time DRT, operating with a total of 12 buses.

Bus calls can be conveniently made through a mobile app, and considering elderly people who are not familiar with smartphones, a bus call service via a call center will also be provided.

Meanwhile, Studio Galilee, selected as the platform operator for this project, projected through pre-simulation analysis of its domestically unique integrated DRT 3.0 platform solution "TAMOS (Transit Analysis and Mobility Optimization System)" that the average waiting time for users with the new Duruta service will drastically decrease by about 89.3%, from the existing 100 minutes to 10.7 minutes.

Additionally, vehicle operation distance and operating costs are analyzed to be reduced by 56.0% and 37.9%, respectively, compared to the existing system, which is expected to positively impact not only the accessibility and convenience for residents in public transportation vulnerable areas but also the finances of transportation companies and local governments.

Studio Galilee demonstrated the outstanding technological capability of the TAMOS solution by achieving a 100% dispatch success rate in the Cheongju Call Bus (Baro DRT) pilot project following last year's Gwacheon City DRT pilot project, and user satisfaction was also high, confirming the market potential of the "Baro DRT" service.

The company is currently operating the largest real-time call-type DRT in Asia with the expanded Cheongju Call Bus main project and is preparing to start DRT pilot projects in Naju City and Changwon City. In addition to public transportation DRT, it is preparing to launch a tourism DRT pilot project in Gijang-gun, Busan Metropolitan City, in September in cooperation with local transportation companies.

Baek Bareum, director in charge of the DRT business at Studio Galilee, stated, "We promise to provide a more advanced Duruta service so that Sejong citizens can enjoy unrestricted and free mobility," adding, "Through continuous technological development and service innovation, we will contribute to providing safer and more convenient public transportation services as well as building a sustainable urban transportation system in Sejong City."