Busan offers free holiday taxis to 20 people with severe disabilities

Busan will use its Durebal accessible taxi service to help 20 people with severe mobility disabilities visit their hometowns during the Chuseok holiday.

The four-day service will run from Sept. 24 to 27. It targets registered Durebal users who use wheelchairs and cannot easily travel by public transportation. The city will accept applications by phone through the Durebal call centre from Sept. 8 to 17.

The programme will select five users for each day. If applications exceed the available places, Busan will consider the need for long-distance travel and the applicant’s difficulty using public transport.

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We will spare no effort to support people so they can visit their hometowns during the holiday and spend warm time with their families without inconvenience.

The service will cover destinations in South Gyeongsang Province, Ulsan and Gyeongju and Cheongdo in North Gyeongsang Province. Same-day trips within Busan are excluded because regular dispatch is available there.

Users can request either a one-way or round trip. For same-day return journeys, the traveller can remain at the hometown destination for up to two hours while the same vehicle waits before taking the passenger back.

The rides will be free, although users must pay highway tolls. A Busan official said the city would continue supporting holiday visits and work to expand Durebal vehicles to strengthen practical mobility rights for people with disabilities.

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We will continue to do our utmost to guarantee the practical mobility rights of people with transportation difficulties, including by expanding the Durebal fleet.