TONGYEONG, South Korea — A call taxi service for island residents in Tongyeong, a South Gyeongsang Province city with 570 islands, will begin full operations in March.
According to the Tongyeong city government on the 26th, the island taxi service, introduced to improve transportation convenience and mobility rights for residents in island areas, will launch official operations on March 1. The island taxi is a demand-responsive transportation (DRT) service that generates routes in real time based on passengers' locations and destinations, operating without fixed routes or schedules.
The project is being implemented in conjunction with "Bravo Taxi," a service operated by South Gyeongsang Province in remote and isolated areas with limited public transportation. While Bravo Taxi currently operates at 34 locations on the mainland in Tongyeong, the island taxi will deploy one vehicle each to three areas: Yokji, Hansan, and Saryang townships. Island residents can use the service for 1,000 won ($0.70) per ride, with a limit of three rides per household per month.
Due to their geographically isolated location surrounded by sea, island residents have had no public transportation options other than island public buses, causing significant inconvenience for visits to health centers, purchasing daily necessities, accessing government offices, and traveling to ferry terminals. The city expects this project will greatly improve daily mobility for island residents, particularly those in areas with high elderly populations, for activities such as hospital visits, grocery shopping, and government office visits.
Tongyeong city plans to identify and address areas for improvement through trial operations running through this month.
A Tongyeong city official stated, "The island taxi goes beyond simple transportation support; it is a community-centered policy that enhances the quality of life for island residents. We will continue our efforts to eliminate transportation blind spots."