M-Bus Takes First Step Toward Transition to Semi-Public Operation System

M Bus

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Starting from the 24th, the Metropolitan Express Bus (M-Bus) will gradually transition to a quasi-public operation system.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Metropolitan Area Transport Committee announced on the 22nd that three routes under the "Metropolitan Express Bus Quasi-Public Operation Pilot Project" will sequentially switch to quasi-public operation starting from the 24th. This was achieved through procedures such as research projects, bus company license returns, business operator recruitment announcements and evaluations, and limited license issuance, in order to implement the "Bus Sector Development Plan for Enhancing National Transportation Welfare" announced last May.

The M2341 route connecting Namyangju Wolsan District to Jamsil Metropolitan Transfer Center will be the first to start quasi-public operation, running 38 times per weekday starting from the 24th. Following this, the M5333 route (from Anyang Dongan Police Station to Jamsil Station) will operate 43 times per weekday starting from the 26th, and the M6427 route (Gimpo Yanggok Terminal to Gangnam Station) will begin 40 runs per weekday from the 1st of next month.

The pilot routes for the M-Bus quasi-public operation project will operate with new vehicles equipped with various convenience facilities to provide enhanced services to passengers. The Namyangju route will deploy new vehicles starting from the 24th when quasi-public operation begins, while the Anyang and Gimpo routes will introduce new vehicles considering delivery schedules, from next month and January of next year, respectively.

New M-Bus Vehicle with Adjustable Space Between Adjacent Seats (Provided by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

The newly introduced vehicles will increase the seat spacing from 800mm to a maximum of 854mm between front and rear seats compared to existing vehicles. Some vehicles will also feature adjustable spacing between side seats to provide a comfortable passenger space. To improve in-vehicle air quality, a smart ventilation system that automatically ventilates the vehicle when the carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration rises will be installed, along with air purification filters. Additionally, free Wi-Fi and USB charging ports will be provided to enhance convenience for electronic device usage.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will supply sufficient seats according to demand on each route and regularly monitor usage to proactively increase the number of vehicles and trips. Through this, it is expected that inconveniences such as ▲boarding failures due to full capacity ▲long waiting times at intermediate stops ▲and moving to front stops will be significantly reduced.

Furthermore, starting next month, general metropolitan buses, which will be transferred to national administration, will also begin a business operator recruitment announcement to initiate a quasi-public operation pilot project, aiming to strengthen the public nature of metropolitan buses.

Ji Jong-cheol, Director of Metropolitan Transport Policy at the Metropolitan Area Transport Committee, stated, "We will do our best to manage safety and service on quasi-public operation routes to ensure the successful establishment of the metropolitan bus quasi-public operation system," adding, "We will continuously expand the implementation of quasi-public operation routes so that more citizens can use high-quality public transportation services."

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