Gimpo-si Participates in 'Climate Companion Card' but Metropolitan Buses Remain a Challenge

Agreement from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Needed for Metropolitan Bus Implementation
Daegwangwi Progressing with Gyeonggi-do Metropolitan Bus Semi-Public Operation System

Gimpo City has decided to participate in Seoul City's 'Climate Companion Card,' drawing attention to which public transportation modes will receive more benefits. However, the metropolitan buses, which have the highest number of commuters, are expected to require prior agreement with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Gimpo Mayor Kim Byung-soo are holding Climate Companion Cards and posing for a commemorative photo at the Seoul-Gimpo Climate Companion Card Expansion Participation Business Agreement Ceremony held on the morning of the 7th at the Seoul City Hall video conference room. Photo by Joint Press [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 8th, according to Seoul City and Gimpo City, the two local governments signed a 'Climate Companion Card Participation Business Agreement' the day before and are preparing for practical consultations.

The Climate Companion Card is an unlimited public transportation pass that Seoul City will launch in January next year. The fare applied in Seoul is 65,000 KRW per month. The fare for Gimpo City will be decided within the range of ▲65,000 to 70,000 KRW (Gimpo Gold Line) ▲100,000 to 120,000 KRW passes (Gimpo metropolitan buses).

Gimpo City has about 85,000 regular public transportation users daily, of which approximately 44,000 (52%) use public transportation between Seoul and Gimpo. The Gimpo Gold Line, a major commuting mode in the Seoul metropolitan area, is used by 30,000 people daily, and metropolitan bus users are estimated at 14,000 per day.

The question is which metropolitan buses will be eligible for benefits. Currently, there is no separate legal definition for metropolitan buses. Generally, routes passing through two or more cities or provinces are called metropolitan buses. According to the Enforcement Decree of the Passenger Transport Service Act, city buses are classified into metropolitan express type, direct-seat type, seat type, and general type. Except for the general type, the others are commonly referred to as metropolitan buses.

There are two metropolitan express bus routes passing through Gimpo. These buses have four-digit numbers preceded by the letter 'M.' Metropolitan express buses are managed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The Ministry plans to implement a mileage refund-type 'K-Pass' starting in the second half of next year.

The situation with direct-seat buses is complicated. Gimpo City has 16 direct-seat bus routes. According to Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation, eight of these are Gyeonggi Province public bus routes, and the other eight are quasi-public routes under the Metropolitan Transport Commission of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Following last year's amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Passenger Transport Service Act, the Ministry is reclaiming the direct-seat bus administrative authority from some basic local governments in Gyeonggi Province, including Gimpo City. Currently, the Metropolitan Transport Commission is operating the quasi-public service for Gyeonggi Province's direct-seat and metropolitan express buses. Gyeonggi public buses do not receive national funding, but the Metropolitan Transport Commission's quasi-public buses receive national subsidies at a 50% national and 50% local government funding ratio. The authority over metropolitan bus licenses, suspensions, closures, and fare decisions, previously held by city and provincial governors, will also be transferred to the Metropolitan Transport Commission going forward.

Given this situation, cooperation from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is necessary to apply the Climate Companion Card to metropolitan buses. Gimpo City plans to discuss detailed matters with Seoul City from now on. The two local governments intend to jointly decide on participating routes and the Climate Companion Card fare applicable in Gimpo City. Earlier, on the 17th of last month, Incheon City also decided to participate in the Climate Companion Card, but since Incheon City holds the fare decision authority for Incheon metropolitan buses, it does not face the same issues as Gimpo.