The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (Minister Kim Yoon-deok) Metropolitan Area Transportation Committee (Chairman Kim Yong-seok, hereinafter referred to as Daegwangwi) announced on the 26th that a total of 12 routes have been selected as target routes for the metropolitan bus quasi-public system this year.
The metropolitan bus quasi-public system is a system that supports the deficits of transportation operators to maintain stable metropolitan bus services, thereby guaranteeing the people’s right to movement.
Daegwangwi comprehensively reviewed connectivity between regions, congestion levels, and usage demand for about 30 routes applied by local governments across the country. After that, a feasibility evaluation by a specialized agency and a review by the metropolitan bus route committee led to the final selection of 12 routes.
The newly selected nine routes will start from Gwangmyeong, Bucheon, Suwon, Anseong, Yangju, Yongin (2 routes), Uijeongbu, Icheon, and travel to destinations such as Nonhyeon Station, Yangjae Station, Seoul Station, Gyo-dae Station, Express Bus Terminal, Gwanghwamun, etc. These routes will begin operation next year after procedures such as selecting transportation operators, issuing licenses, and securing vehicles are completed from next month.
In addition to this, Daegwangwi has already selected three routes, such as Goyang (1200), Paju (1500), and Hwaseong (M4448), which were decided to be converted from private operation to the quasi-public system last September. Among them, the Goyang and Hwaseong routes will start conversion operation from the 27th, and the Paju route will begin operation in the first half of next year.
Chairman Kim Yong-seok of Daegwangwi stated, “We are expanding quasi-public system routes, focusing on areas with a high necessity for new metropolitan bus services,” and emphasized, “We will continuously expand routes in areas lacking metropolitan transportation to provide convenient and stable metropolitan transportation services to the public.”
