Gochang County to Expand "Happiness Bus" Routes Starting Next Month

Routes Expanded to Heungdeok Terminal, Hanaro Mart, and Community Happiness Center

Gochang County in North Jeolla Province will expand the routes of its "Happiness Bus Support Project" starting next month.

The county announced on August 13 that it recently held a meeting on rural transportation model projects and decided to extend the Happiness Bus routes.

Exterior view of Gochang County Office. Provided by Gochang County

The Seongnae-myeon route will be expanded to include Heungdeok Terminal, Hanaro Mart, and the Community Happiness Center. The Sinrim-myeon route will operate from the temporary terminal in Gochang-eup, stopping near Yeongho Pharmacy and Gochang High School, and on market days, it will extend to Baekyang Mart.

Previously, there were restrictions on operating beyond township boundaries. As a result, residents faced significant inconvenience, as they had to transfer to rural buses via their township centers in order to access areas such as Heungdeok-myeon and Gochang-eup, which are part of their actual living areas.

Once the transportation company's revised business plan is submitted, the county will begin promoting the expanded routes, with operations scheduled to start next month. The county expects this measure to improve the efficiency of the local transportation network and enhance the quality of life for residents.

The Gochang County Happiness Bus was first introduced in 2019 as an alternative means of transportation after existing rural bus routes were reduced due to the implementation of the 52-hour workweek. Currently, it operates in the Seongnae-myeon and Sinrim-myeon areas, filling gaps in the local transportation system.