Can I Get a Seat on the Express Bus...? Urgent Measures for Service Frequency and Additional Buses

Commute Time Service Frequency Increased to 266 Runs
26 New 2-Story Electric Buses Introduced, etc.

Due to the easing of social distancing measures and rising oil prices, demand for metropolitan buses is increasing, leading to a significant rise in overcrowding and standing passengers during peak commuting hours. In response, the government has decided to increase the number of bus operations and introduce new electric buses.

On the 12th, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport held a countermeasure meeting with local governments including Gyeonggi Province and Incheon City. They announced urgent standing passenger countermeasures such as deploying charter buses, expanding regular route operations, and introducing double-decker electric buses, focusing on routes where standing passenger issues are most severe.

The number of operations during peak hours on 25 routes in the southern metropolitan area, where metropolitan bus ridership is high, will be increased from 373 to 514, a total increase of 141 trips. In particular, 26 double-decker electric buses will be newly deployed on four routes with high ridership.

For seven metropolitan bus routes in Hwaseong City, the number of peak hour operations will increase from 133 to 193, an increase of 60 trips (July to September). Especially on heavily used routes (7790, 1006, M4108), 15 double-decker electric buses will be introduced in September to significantly alleviate standing passenger operations.

In Suwon City, the number of peak hour operations on five metropolitan bus routes will increase from 56 to 98, an increase of 42 trips (July to September). In Seongnam City, two routes (M4102, 9300) will increase from 24 to 31 trips, a 7-trip increase (July).

In Yongin City, 11 routes will see an increase in peak hour operations from 160 to 192, a 32-trip increase (July). Additionally, 11 double-decker electric buses will be deployed on route 5002 to Gangnam Station in October, greatly improving convenience for metropolitan bus users during commuting hours.

In the western metropolitan area including Incheon City and Gimpo City, 16 routes will increase peak hour operations from 251 to 313, a 62-trip increase, to alleviate standing passenger issues.

Specifically, to resolve the standing passenger problem in Incheon City, the number of peak hour operations on 15 routes where standing occurs will increase from 230 to 275, a 45-trip increase, with plans for continuous additional increases thereafter.

Gimpo City will increase peak hour operations on route M6117, which had been reduced due to COVID-19, from 21 to 38 trips, a 17-trip increase.

In the northern metropolitan area, where long travel times exacerbate standing passenger discomfort, 16 routes will increase peak hour operations from 226 to 289, a 63-trip increase.

In Goyang City, where non-stop passing due to full capacity and standing operations frequently cause significant inconvenience to citizens, peak hour operations on five routes will first increase from 98 to 118, a 20-trip increase, with plans for continuous additional increases.

For two metropolitan bus routes in Paju City (M7111, M7154), peak hour operations will increase from 26 to 36, a 10-trip increase, alleviating standing passenger issues on routes with relatively long travel times to Seoul.

In Namyangju City, five routes will increase peak hour operations from 61 to 87, a 26-trip increase (July to September). In Yangju City, two routes will increase from 16 to 18 trips, a 2-trip increase (July), and in Uijeongbu City, two routes will increase from 25 to 30 trips, a 5-trip increase (July).

As a follow-up to this urgent measure, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission will form a 'Standing Passenger Countermeasure Task Force' to continuously monitor metropolitan bus standing passenger occurrences. A joint response system between the Commission, Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon City will be established to respond immediately to standing operations.

Administrative guidance, including improvement orders for transportation companies that fail to comply with operation frequencies, will be strengthened to ensure the effectiveness of standing passenger countermeasures.

Gil Byeong-woo, Director of the Metropolitan Transportation Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "Following this urgent measure, additional countermeasures will be prepared in August."

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