Socar Establishes Operation System for Shuttle Buses at Public Facilities in Seongdong-gu, Seoul

Socar announced on the 14th that it will participate in the 'Seongdong-gu Public Facility Shuttle Bus (Seonggong Bus)' project operated by Seongdong-gu, Seoul.

The Seonggong Bus is a free shuttle bus that circulates public facilities within Seongdong-gu. It has been operating on a trial basis since the 2nd to improve mobility convenience and address traffic congestion and environmental issues.

Socar plans to participate as a partner in the Seonggong Bus project by providing an operational solution that incorporates car-sharing technology and know-how. It will provide a boarding pass issuance system for boarding and alighting the Seonggong Bus. Users can access the dedicated Seonggong Bus website, verify their eligibility, and then receive a QR code issued after mobile phone number authentication, which is tapped on a terminal when boarding the bus. For those aged 65 and older who are not familiar with mobile use, an ID card can be used as a substitute.

The vehicle management solution (FMS) technology used in Socar’s car-sharing service has also been applied to the Seonggong Bus. Socar installed the STS (Socar Telematics System), which is used to remotely manage and control over 23,000 vehicles nationwide, on the 25-seat buses deployed for the Seonggong Bus. The installed STS plays a role in transmitting and receiving the Seonggong Bus’s location and movement data to and from the control system in real time.

Through the established system, Socar provides boarding and alighting services that can issue and manage boarding passes, while also enabling users to check real-time location information of the Seonggong Bus and bus stop information on mobile devices. Socar and Seongdong-gu plan to closely analyze residents’ usage patterns based on mobility data collected through STS, including boarding and alighting, and support the operation of optimized routes.

Additionally, Socar aims to enhance mobility convenience by offering car-sharing and Socar Elecle electric bicycle discount coupons to Seonggong Bus users.

Jo Eun-jung, head of Socar’s Enterprise Group, said, "This Seonggong Bus project is the first case of applying Socar’s operational solution, verified through years of car-sharing service, to public institution mobility services, marking an important step in expanding our solution business. We will do our best to ensure that the Seonggong Bus improves mobility convenience for Seongdong-gu residents and contributes to solving social issues such as traffic and the environment."

The Seonggong Bus is scheduled to be officially operated from January next year after a trial operation until December. It passes through areas such as Geumho-dong, Eungbong-dong, Haengdang-dong, and Seongsu-dong, where there are gaps in public transportation routes such as village buses, connecting 22 stops linking major public facilities within Seongdong-gu. Operating hours are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, with a 15-minute interval between buses. Anyone using public facilities in Seongdong-gu or who is a transportation-vulnerable person can receive a boarding pass through the Seonggong Bus website.