Jeongeup City announced that it will significantly improve mobility for people with disabilities and other transportation-vulnerable groups by fully introducing and integrating a 'voucher taxi' system in the first half of this year, in addition to its existing 'call taxis for the disabled' and 'chartered taxis'.
Until now, the city has been operating specially equipped vehicles (call taxis for the disabled) for wheelchair users and chartered taxis for non-wheelchair users with disabilities. However, as the number of non-wheelchair users with disabilities has steadily increased, the resulting rise in demand has led to chronic delays in taxi dispatch, which has become a persistent inconvenience.
To address this, the city is introducing 'voucher taxis' this year, operated in partnership with general taxi companies. Voucher taxis serve regular passengers as usual, but when a transportation-vulnerable passenger requests a ride, the vehicle switches to operate as a voucher-designated taxi.
Currently, Jeongeup operates 18 call taxis for the disabled and 4 chartered taxis as special transportation for the mobility-impaired. With the addition of 20 voucher taxis, the total number of special transportation vehicles for transportation-vulnerable groups in Jeongeup will increase significantly.
Through this initiative, Jeongeup aims to reduce the average wait time, previously over 30 minutes, to about 15 minutes, and to enable non-wheelchair users with disabilities to access voucher taxis much more quickly.
This project is a result of Jeollabuk-do Special Self-Governing Province’s selection of Jeongeup in last year’s pilot program for voucher taxi demand for special transportation. Operations this year will be supported by a budget of 480 million won.
Lee Haksu, Mayor of Jeongeup, said, "With the introduction of voucher taxis, both wheelchair users and non-wheelchair passengers can now move freely to their desired destinations without waiting," adding, "Jeongeup will continue listening to the voices of transportation-vulnerable residents and strive to become the leading city for transportation welfare."
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