Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province announced on November 27 that it will increase the number of “Ddokbus (DRT),” an on-demand transportation service that has received strong support from citizens.
This expansion will add seven more vehicles sequentially starting at the end of November 2025. The city will allocate two vehicles to Chowol-eup, one to Gonjiam-eup, one to Docheok-myeon, one to Toechon and Namjong-myeon, and two to the Dong area, ensuring balanced distribution across all towns and districts based on local transportation demand and usage patterns. As a result, citizens’ mobility convenience is expected to improve significantly. The operating hours in each area will remain the same as before, and the city plans to continuously monitor usage demand and civil complaints to create an environment where everyone can travel conveniently.
“Ddokbus” is a customized public transportation service that operates when passengers call for a ride at their desired time and location through the dedicated “Ddokta” app. Since its expansion to the Dong area in August, the number of users has steadily increased, greatly contributing to resolving transportation difficulties in new residential districts and areas underserved by public transit. In particular, it has become a major means of transportation in areas where regular buses do not operate or have long intervals between services, earning high satisfaction from residents.
Based on the increased utilization rate and analysis of local transportation demand, the city has continuously requested additional vehicles from Gyeonggi Province, and as a result, secured approval for the expansion to be implemented within the year. In this process, Assemblyman Yoo Hyungjin (People Power Party, Gwangju 4), a member of the Gyeonggi Provincial Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, played a significant role in securing provincial-level support.
With this expansion, a total of six vehicles will now operate in Chowol-eup, which is expected to greatly reduce waiting times. Gonjiam-eup and Docheok-myeon will each receive one additional vehicle, improving accessibility within Gonjiam-eup and transfer convenience at Gonjiam Station. Furthermore, Toechon and Namjong-myeon and the Dong area will receive one and two additional vehicles, respectively, helping to eliminate transportation blind spots throughout the city.
Mayor Bang Sehwan stated, “Ddokbus is a core project of our citizen-centered transportation policy, with the top priority being to address the inconveniences of residents in transportation-vulnerable areas such as towns and new housing districts. We will continue to develop customized transportation policies that reflect the unique characteristics of each area and do our utmost to improve transportation convenience in ways that citizens can truly feel.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
