Establishing Legal Basis for Taxi Fare Support to Enhance Mobility Convenience for Transportation-Disadvantaged in Seoul

Seoul City Councilor Kim Tae-ho Proposes Partial Amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Ordinance on Improving Mobility Convenience for Transportation-Disadvantaged Persons

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kim Tae-ho (The Democratic Party, Gangnam 4) proposed an amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Ordinance on the Promotion of Mobility Convenience for Transportation Vulnerable Groups. The amendment aims to establish a legal basis for supporting taxi fare expenses when transportation vulnerable individuals operate vehicles without wheelchair boarding facilities other than special transportation means, or use automobiles employed in taxi transportation businesses, thereby contributing to the enhancement of mobility convenience for transportation vulnerable groups.

Seoul City currently supports part of the taxi fare expenses by introducing ‘Disabled Call Taxi’ equipped with wheelchair boarding facilities, ‘Disabled Welfare Call’ for visually and physically disabled persons, as well as ‘Exclusive Rental Taxi for Disabled’ and ‘Voucher Taxi’ targeting severely disabled persons who do not use wheelchairs.

Under the existing Act on the Promotion of Mobility Convenience for Transportation Vulnerable Groups, the ‘Disabled Rental Taxi’ operated for non-wheelchair disabled persons was being conducted based on internal policies without legal grounds. Meanwhile, ‘Disabled Welfare Call’ and ‘Voucher Taxi’ were operated under the Disabled Welfare Act as one of the disabled welfare facilities called the ‘Disabled Life Mobility Support Center,’ with subsidies provided to the center.

In this context, following the amendment of the Act on the Promotion of Mobility Convenience for Transportation Vulnerable Groups in June 2018, a legal basis was established to operate or support ‘vehicles other than special transportation means’ or ‘automobiles used in taxi transportation businesses’ as means of mobility convenience for transportation vulnerable groups. The amendment was reflected in the ordinance to secure legal stability for Exclusive Rental Taxi for Disabled and Voucher Taxi.

Council member Kim Tae-ho stated, “Recognizing the public nature and importance of supervision of the ongoing Seoul City projects, we aimed to clarify the basis for operation and support,” and added, “We will strive to realize transportation welfare so that all citizens can move safely and conveniently.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.