Namyangju City to Transition Bus No. 98 and 98-1 to Public Management System from July 1

Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province, led by Mayor Joo Kwangdeok, announced on June 26 that it will transition Bus No. 98 and Bus No. 98-1, which connect Hwado, Sudong, and Onam, to a public management system starting July 1.

Namyangju City to Transition Bus No. 98 to Public Management System Starting July 1. Provided by Namyangju City

Previously, Namyangju City launched Bus No. 98 and Bus No. 98-1 in March last year following the opening of the local road No. 98 between Onam and Sudong. Bus No. 98 operated 13 times a day with three vehicles, while Bus No. 98-1 operated four times a day with one vehicle.

However, due to the accumulation of deficits by the transportation company and a shortage of transportation workers, the number of daily operations was reduced to nine for Bus No. 98 and three for Bus No. 98-1, causing increased inconvenience for citizens using the buses.

In response, the city began discussions with Gyeonggi Province in February to transition Bus No. 98 and Bus No. 98-1 to a public management system in order to address the root causes of these issues. After a four-month route bidding process, the transition to the public management system will take effect on July 1.

As a result, the number of daily operations for Bus No. 98 will increase by six from nine to fifteen, and Bus No. 98-1 will increase by two from three to five. This is expected to significantly improve public transportation convenience and access to Onam Station on Subway Line 4 for residents in transportation-vulnerable areas such as Hwado and Sudong.

Joo Kwangdeok, Mayor of Namyangju City, stated, "We have decided to transition to a public management system to ensure stable bus operations," adding, "We will continue to improve transportation convenience through ongoing monitoring in the future."