Yangju City Finalizes Addition of 41 Taxis...Easing the "Taxi Shortage" From June

City Adds 41 Taxis to Tackle Transportation Shortages Head-On
34 Taxis to Be Deployed First by June
Mandatory Operation in Late-Night Hours and Transport-Vulnerable Areas

Yangju City in Gyeonggi Province has finalized an increase of 41 taxis and will begin full-scale operations by June to resolve its chronic taxi shortage problem.

A view of Yangju City Hall. Provided by Yangju City.

Despite a rapid population increase, taxi supply in Yangju has not kept pace, causing significant inconvenience for residents. In fact, Yangju has 737 residents per taxi, more than double the national average of 312 residents per taxi. As a result, dispatch delays have frequently occurred during commuting hours and late at night.

To resolve this issue, the city actively proposed the need to increase the number of taxis during the 5th Taxi Quota System process and made various efforts, including visiting the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for meetings. As a result, the increase of 41 taxis was approved.

The city first issued a recruitment notice in January for 34 of the total 41 additional taxis and, after screening, announced the final successful applicants on the 26th.

This increase is not just about expanding the fleet size but focuses on improving the experience that residents actually feel. The city plans to significantly reduce perceived dispatch waiting times by imposing mandatory operation requirements in transportation-vulnerable areas such as towns and townships, as well as during late-night hours when taxi demand is concentrated.

Yangju City plans to grant licenses in March and, in accordance with the regulation that transportation must begin within three months of license issuance, 34 taxis are expected to start operating by June. The remaining 7 taxis are also scheduled to be additionally supplied in the second half of the year.

An official from Yangju City said, "We are pleased to see the results of our continued communication efforts to resolve the taxi supply shortage, which had been far below the national average," adding, "We will do our utmost in operation and management so that citizens can conveniently use taxis even during late-night hours and in outlying areas."