Pilot Project Launched for 7.8km Section from Chungnam National University to Jeongnim Samgeori
Construction Costs at 40% and Operating Costs at 65% Compared to Tram
The trackless vehicle system, a new mode of transportation proposed by Daejeon City, has passed the regulatory sandbox review for demonstration exemption by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Mobility Innovation Committee for the first time in Korea.
According to Daejeon City on the 15th, the pilot project for the new transportation system was finally approved at the review meeting of the Mobility Innovation Committee of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which included 12 related ministries, on the 14th, after passing the working committee review of the mobility regulatory sandbox demonstration exemption hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority in December last year.
Accordingly, the introduction of the new transportation system and the pilot route demonstration project led by Daejeon City is expected to gain momentum, as it enables the establishment of a nationwide cooperation system involving the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other government agencies, with the goal of launching the project by the end of this year.
The route that passed the Mobility Innovation Committee this time covers a 7.8km section from Chungnam National University to Jeongnim Samgeori. This is an extension of 1.6km from the original 6.2km route from Yuseong Oncheon Station Intersection to Gasuwon Intersection, taking into account transportation demand and public transportation connectivity.
The trackless vehicle system is evaluated as being economical and quick to implement, as it offers urban railway-level transport capacity while utilizing existing roads without the need for track installation. Construction costs are about 40% and operating costs about 65% of those for a tram.
The city expects to be able to build the infrastructure economically and quickly by utilizing the currently operating central bus-only lane on Doandong-ro and parts of the Daejeon Metro Line 2 tram route under construction.
In October 2023, under the special directive of Mayor Lee Jangwoo, the city reviewed the introduction of a cost-effective and rapidly deployable trackless vehicle system (three-module, double-articulated bus). After investigating advanced overseas public transportation cases, conducting local inspections related to vehicles and operations, and technical reviews, the city announced its pilot project plan in April last year.
Lee Jangwoo, Mayor of Daejeon, said, "The success of the new transportation system pilot project could serve as an alternative to light rail, which requires enormous budgets and long project periods for both national and local governments. We will make Daejeon a hyper-connected transportation city where public transportation is convenient to use by establishing a low-cost, high-efficiency, eco-friendly, and punctual trackless vehicle system."
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