Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor: Shin Sang-jin) announced on October 29 that it will expand the operation of its “special transportation vehicles (welfare taxis for the disabled)” to a total of 90 units in order to improve mobility for transportation-vulnerable groups.
This increase brings the number of vehicles to 1.4 times the legal standard of 66 units set by the “Act on Promotion of Transportation Convenience for Mobility Disadvantaged Persons,” and is aimed at enhancing user convenience and service quality.
Since launching the service with 10 vehicles in 2006, the city has steadily expanded its fleet, recording the highest number of rides in Gyeonggi Province last year with 240,000 cases. In addition, in the 2024 “Evaluation of Mobility Convenience for the Transportation Disadvantaged,” Seongnam was selected as the top city or county, earning a reputation as a model local government for mobility services for transportation-vulnerable groups.
This expansion project, a pledge of the 8th popularly elected administration, involved a total investment of 4.294 billion won. From 2023, all 80 aging vehicles were replaced and 10 new vehicles were introduced. Notably, Seongnam became the first in the nation to introduce hybrid special-purpose vehicles, achieving both environmental protection and improved convenience for transportation-vulnerable groups.
On the afternoon of the 29th, at 2 p.m., the city will hold a “Special Transportation Vehicle (Welfare Taxi for the Disabled) Expansion Launch Ceremony” in front of City Hall, officially announcing the start of operations for the newly expanded fleet.
A Seongnam City official stated, “By introducing hybrid vehicles for the first time nationwide, we are able to provide an eco-friendly and comfortable welfare taxi service. We will continue to provide even more attentive support to guarantee the mobility rights of transportation-vulnerable groups.”
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