Confusion on Commute as City Buses Halt
Rain on the 28th... Taxis Also Unavailable
Success After Asking Passing Driver for Help
On the morning of the 28th, when the total strike of Seoul city buses began, citizens were waiting to board the subway at Seoul Station subway station in Jung-gu. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the morning of the 28th, when the Seoul city bus union began their strike, stranded citizens could not hide their confusion. Online, attention was focused on posts sharing the chaotic situation.
That morning, a netizen wrote on an online community, "There were no buses and no taxis, so I tried hitchhiking for the first time in my life." While waiting for a taxi, he had no choice but to stop passing drivers and ask for a ride to a nearby station.
The netizen said, "I pleaded ten times but failed all ten times," adding, "On the eleventh try, I got a ride from a kind elderly man and successfully made it to work. I tried to offer some transportation money, but he firmly refused. I should have at least bought him a drink from a convenience store," expressing his gratitude.
Traffic congestion caused by the total strike of Seoul city bus union [Image source=Online community capture]
The Seoul city bus union went on strike starting at 4 a.m. that day. It was the first general strike in 12 years since 2012, affecting 7,210 buses, which is 97.6% of the total 7,382 buses in operation.
To make matters worse, it rained heavily from the morning, making taxis scarce as well. Netizens complained, saying things like "My feet are completely tied," "I only found out about the strike when I got to the bus stop. Being late today is a sure thing," and "This is why you have to live near a subway station."
With buses out of service, the crowds at subway stations increased even more. Passengers who decided to use the subway instead of buses, along with regular subway riders, crowded together, making the already congested morning commute even more difficult.
Moreover, that day was the first nationwide joint academic assessment for high school students in grades 1 through 3, causing additional confusion for Seoul students heading to take the mock college entrance exam.
Prior to this, the city bus union and the Seoul City Bus Transportation Business Association, representing management, held wage negotiations from the 27th through the early hours of the 28th, but the talks ultimately broke down at 4 a.m. that day.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is currently operating emergency transportation measures. Subway service hours have been extended by one hour during rush hours, and late-night service has been extended by one hour until 2 a.m. the following day. Additionally, 480 free shuttle buses have been deployed across 25 districts to connect with subway stations.
Yoon Jong-jang, Director of Urban Transportation at Seoul City, stated, "We will make every effort to reach a smooth labor-management agreement as soon as possible," and added, "We will mobilize all available transportation means to minimize inconvenience to citizens."
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