Korea Expressway Corporation will introduce a "QR Call Refueling Assistance Service" at 218 self-service gas stations nationwide to ease inconveniences faced by mobility-impaired drivers on highways, the company said Tuesday.
Of the 226 government-funded highway gas stations currently in operation, 218, or 96 percent, are run on a self-service basis. Persons with disabilities, the elderly, and pregnant women have had to step out of their vehicles and press a call button to request assistance, prompting repeated calls for improved accessibility.
The new service offers a contactless call system that allows drivers to request help without leaving their vehicles. The process is simple: scanning a QR code attached to the fuel dispenser immediately dispatches a staff member. Drivers who have difficulty scanning the QR code can call the gas station office number listed below the code. Once a call is received, staff assist the driver throughout the entire refueling process.
"This service goes beyond refueling support and is a community-oriented public service that guarantees the mobility rights of transportation-vulnerable groups," a Korea Expressway Corporation official said. "We will continue to pursue field-driven improvements so that all citizens can use highways safely and conveniently."
