Buses for School Commutes Without Bus Stops... Busan Education Office to Support Public Transportation for Students

Pilot Operation Connecting Jisa-dong, Gangseo-gu and Myeongji High Schools Begins in March Next Year
Electric and Hydrogen Vehicles to Be Deployed

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education has launched an initiative to support school transportation for high school students living in areas with limited access to public transportation, aiming to bridge the gap in educational accessibility.

Starting next year, the burden on students in remote areas of Busan who have faced inconvenience or long commutes due to inadequate public transit is expected to be significantly reduced.

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education (Superintendent Kim Seokjun) announced that, beginning in March next year, it will pilot a school transportation support program for high school students residing in areas with poor public transportation to ensure a safer and more convenient commuting environment for students.

The pilot route will connect high schools in the Myeongji area, including Gyeongil High School, Busan Nam High School, and Myeongho High School, starting from Jisa-dong in Gangseo-gu, Busan. Four low-emission vehicles, such as electric and hydrogen cars, will be deployed, and the vehicles will operate in line with the schools' morning schedules.

This school transportation support project is intended to assist students who spend excessive time commuting from distant areas or who live in regions with insufficient public transportation infrastructure. The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education will directly manage the vehicle operations to establish a more stable support system for student commutes.

During the pilot period, the office will conduct satisfaction surveys among participating students and continuously improve the operation through ongoing monitoring. Based on the results of the pilot project, it will also consider expanding the program to more regions and schools in the future.

Additionally, the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education plans to conduct a research project next year on the "Busan-Style School Transportation Operation Plan" to develop policies tailored to the specific needs of the Busan area. Through this, it aims to create a more comprehensive model for supporting student commutes.

This initiative was made possible by the amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Passenger Transport Service Act in April, which now allows the superintendent or principal to sign transportation contracts for chartered school buses when it is difficult for individual schools to operate them. This improvement is expected not only to enhance students' commuting conditions but also to reduce the administrative burden on schools.

Superintendent Kim Seokjun stated, "We will continue to work towards creating a safer and more convenient commuting environment to improve students' commuting conditions," adding, "We will strive to continuously eliminate blind spots in school transportation."