Jeonnam Province Introduces 'Disabled Voucher Taxi' for the First Time at Provincial Level

Pilot Operation of 102 Units in 5 Cities and Counties

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province announced on the 25th that it will pilot the voucher taxi service for the disabled for the first time at the provincial level and operate 102 vehicles in 5 cities and counties starting this month.

All cities and counties will be able to provide a '24-hour immediate call' service for transportation-vulnerable individuals.

Voucher taxis are taxis that usually operate for residents but prioritize service for non-wheelchair disabled individuals who have severe walking disabilities and find it difficult to use public transportation when they call. These are vehicles other than special transportation means (disabled call taxis).

By enabling non-wheelchair disabled individuals to use voucher taxis and reducing the demand for disabled call taxis, it is expected to lay the foundation for providing '365 days, year-round, 24-hour immediate call' service to wheelchair-disabled individuals.

When a voucher taxi user applies for an immediate call, they can use the service by paying the same fare as the currently operating disabled call taxis (basic fare 500 won for 2 km, additional 100 won per km).

The difference between the taxi fare and the user's payment is subsidized by the province and city/county to the taxi driver.

Jeonnam Province has introduced voucher taxis through continuous meetings and forums with disabled organizations, the taxi industry, and city/county transportation departments, and plans to pilot the service in 5 cities and counties in the second half of this year and expand it to all cities and counties in 2022.

Jung Yoonsoo, Director of the Road Traffic Division of Jeonnam Province, said, "The introduction of voucher taxis is expected to contribute not only to reducing the waiting time, which was the biggest inconvenience for transportation-vulnerable individuals, but also to the stable revenue increase of taxi company workers," adding, "We will continuously monitor the usage of voucher taxis by users and do our best to ensure there is no inconvenience in the mobility of transportation-vulnerable individuals."

Meanwhile, the province secured 700 million won in supplementary budget this year to support the operation of voucher taxis, and plans to expand the service to 22 cities and counties from next year.

For inquiries about voucher taxi use and membership registration, contact the Jeonnam Regional Mobility Support Center website or call center, or the Road Traffic Division of Jeonnam Province.

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