Bucheon City in Gyeonggi Province will fully implement a 'cashless city bus' system starting in August.
This initiative has been introduced to reduce unnecessary operating costs and prevent on-board safety accidents, as the widespread use of transportation cards has led to a yearly decrease in the proportion of cash payments.
Accordingly, the city will begin a pilot operation from July 4 to July 31. During this period, cash payments will still be accepted. However, after the full implementation, cash boxes will be removed from buses, and only physical or mobile transportation cards will be accepted.
Transportation cards can be purchased at convenience stores or used by adding the transportation card function to a debit or credit card. Various benefits are provided, including fare discounts, transfer discounts, and K-Pass Card discounts.
Passengers without a transportation card can issue a mobile transportation card by scanning the QR code attached inside the bus for payment, or purchase a prepaid transportation card available on the bus. Additionally, it will be possible to pay the fare by bank transfer after receiving a fare payment notice.
During the pilot period, the city will continuously monitor any inconveniences experienced by citizens and will make improvements to the system as needed.
An official from Bucheon City stated, "The use of transportation cards provides passengers with fare discounts and convenient boarding, and offers drivers a safer and more efficient operating environment. This serves as a foundation for enhancing the quality of public transportation services." The official also urged citizens to prepare their transportation cards in advance and participate in the new system.
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