Subway up 43%, city buses up 24%, call taxis for people with disabilities up 27%
Experiencing the value of May 18... Positive feedback for consideration of out-of-town visitors and people with disabilities
Gwangju City announced on May 20 that a total of 650,000 people used city buses, urban rail, and call taxis for people with disabilities, which were operated free of charge for two days on May 17 and 18 during the 45th anniversary week of the May 18 Democratization Movement.
This figure represents a 26.8% increase compared to the recent weekend average over the past month (from April 19 to May 11, 510,000 people). By mode of transportation, 530,000 people used city buses, 110,000 used urban rail, and 4,000 used call taxis for people with disabilities. Each mode saw an increase compared to the previous month: city buses by 24%, urban rail by 43%, and call taxis for people with disabilities by 27%.
In particular, on May 17, when the eve festival was held, 370,000 people used public transportation, which was higher than the 280,000 users on May 18. At Geumnamno 4-ga Station, 10,110 people and at Culture Complex Station, 8,745 people used urban rail, indicating that both attendees of the eve festival held at Geumnamno and visitors to the May 18 Democracy Plaza actively used urban rail.
Last year, the city operated city buses and urban rail free of charge for one day on May 18, which was met with a great response from citizens. This year, the program was expanded to two days, May 17 and 18, and also included call taxis for people with disabilities, effectively implementing a welfare policy that considered the mobility rights of transportation-vulnerable groups.
To address the insufficient advance publicity last year, the city actively promoted the free service this year at major gateways such as Gwangju Songjeong Station and Gwangju General Bus Terminal, as well as inside city buses, urban rail stations, and through social networking services (SNS).
On social networking services (SNS), there were positive responses such as "a meaningful measure to commemorate May 18" and "a considerate policy for visitors to Gwangju." One citizen who used the call taxi for people with disabilities commented, "It was a good example that allowed people with severe walking disabilities and other transportation-vulnerable groups to experience the value of May 18 firsthand."
Bae Sangyoung, Director of Public Transportation, said, "We will continue to operate free public transportation so that the spirit of May 18 can be carried on together with citizens, and we will actively expand transportation welfare policies such as the 'Gwangju G-Pass.'
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