"Cheaper than taxis"... After remote work ends, SoCar usage increases

On the 20th, when the mandatory mask-wearing on public transportation was lifted, most passengers at the Yeouido Bus Transfer Center in Seoul were using the bus while wearing masks. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

Companies that had introduced remote work have recently shifted their work systems back to office attendance. As a result, the number of people using shared vehicles for commuting has significantly increased.

Kang Suhyun (32, pseudonym), an office worker employed in Pangyo, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, started renting vehicles from the car-sharing platform Socar for commuting last month. Kang, who had been working remotely for two years, resumed office attendance at the end of last year. He had mainly used his own car or intercity buses. However, as nearby companies shifted back to office work, he faced parking difficulties and overcrowded buses.

Kang explained, “The company building’s parking lot was full, so I had to use nearby paid parking lots, and with no standing room left on the intercity buses, I often missed several buses in a row. The stress of commuting became too much, so I decided to use shared vehicles to avoid parking worries.”

The number of people using Socar for commuting has recently surged. The number of Socar rides for commuting increased by 50% in March this year compared to November last year. Those using Socar for commuting rented vehicles for an average of 15 hours and 30 minutes, typically from 6:20 p.m. to 8:50 a.m. the next day, using the car after work and returning it after arriving at the office the next morning.

This change is analyzed to have occurred as many companies that had introduced remote work at the end of last year switched back to office attendance. The most popular area for using Socar for commuting was Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The second was Bundang-gu, Seongnam, and the third was Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Gangnam and Bundang are areas mainly populated by IT companies and startups, industries that proactively adopted remote work during the COVID-19 period.

The sharply increased taxi fares are also considered a factor in the rise of Socar usage. In December last year, the late-night surcharge system for mid-sized taxis in Seoul changed, applying a base fare of 5,800 won between 10 and 11 p.m. and 2 and 4 a.m. From 11 p.m., the base fare rises to 6,700 won for three hours. Since February, the base fare has also increased by 1,000 won. People using Socar for commuting drove an average of 23 km one way. Sharing a vehicle is cheaper than paying the surcharge after working late.

In November last year, Socar launched a subscription product exclusively for office workers called ‘Commute Type,’ recognizing the increasing demand for vehicle sharing for commuting. The product includes rental fees, insurance, and parking fees.

A Socar representative said, “It is a product tailored for young people who commute long hours by public transport or feel burdened by parking fees even when using their own cars. For example, a 10-time subscription for a compact car is up to 520,000 won cheaper per month than commuting by private car in Seoul.”

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