Busan is good

Busan City Prepares Emergency Transport Measures in Response to City Bus Strike – Measures to Minimize Inconvenience for Citizens –

내용

The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it has prepared emergency transportation measures to minimize public inconvenience in anticipation of a city bus union strike scheduled for May 28. Simultaneously, the City will continue efforts to facilitate an amicable agreement between labor and management.

○ Since the end of 2024, city bus labor and management have held 11 rounds of wage negotiations for 2025. However, they failed to reach an agreement and filed for mediation with the Busan Regional Labor Relations Commission on May 12.
The first and second mediation sessions were held on May 20 and 26, respectively, without success. The third session is scheduled for today (May 27). If mediation fails again, the labor union has announced it will go on strike.

---

To prepare for such a scenario, the City plans to activate the Emergency Transport Response Headquarters (headed by the Deputy Mayor for Innovation) and implement emergency measures without delay.

○ On May 26 at 4 PM, a meeting was held under the leadership of the Deputy Mayor for Innovation with district offices, the Metropolitan Office of Education, Busan Police Agency, Busan Transportation Corporation, and other related agencies to review the action plan.

---

Key emergency transportation measures include:
▲Deployment of chartered buses
▲Increased subway and light rail train operations
▲Concentrated taxi dispatch
▲Suspension of alternate-day driving and curbside bus-only lanes

○ Chartered buses will operate mainly in areas not serviced by subway or village buses, transporting passengers from temporary stops to nearby subway stations.
A total of 200 chartered buses will run along 46 temporary routes from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM. The service will be free of charge.

○ Subway and light rail operations will be extended by one hour during peak commute times:

• ●Morning: 7:00–9:00 → 7:00–10:00

• ●Evening: 18:00–20:00 → 18:00–21:00
  On weekdays, subway services will be increased by 50 trips and the Busan–Gimhae Light Rail by 10 trips.

○ The City will encourage taxi unions to minimize vehicle downtime during the strike period and will allow bus stops to be used as temporary taxi stands.

○ The alternate-day vehicle usage policy and curbside bus-only lanes will be temporarily suspended to accommodate increased use of private vehicles.

○ Furthermore, the City will ask businesses, organizations, and schools to adjust working hours voluntarily to disperse congestion during peak hours.

---

Kim Kwang-hoe, Deputy Mayor for Innovation, stated,
“The City will make every effort to help labor and management reach a wage agreement without proceeding to a strike.”
He added,
“In case of a strike, we will do our utmost to minimize inconvenience for citizens through emergency transport measures, and we ask for your understanding and cooperation.”

---

Attachment: Emergency Transport Measures Overview

▣ Deployment and Operation of Chartered Buses

• ●Target Areas: Locations without access to subway or village buses
  → Transport from emergency stops to nearby subway stations

• ●Routes: 46 total

• ○Central (1), Seo (3), Dong (1), Yeongdo (3), Busanjin (5), Dongnae (1), Nam (5), Buk (4), Haeundae (2), Saha (3), Geumjeong (2), Gangseo (5), Yeonje (2), Suyeong (1), Sasang (5), Gijang (3)

• ●Operation Hours: 6:00–21:00 (15 hours per day) from May 28

• ●Fleet Size: 200 buses

• ●Fare: Free

• ●Staffing: 400 public servants per day (1 per bus for guidance)

▣ Subway and Light Rail Operation Adjustments

• ●Increase: 50 additional subway trips and 10 light rail trips on weekdays

• ●Peak Hour Extensions:

• ○Morning: 7:00–9:00 → 7:00–10:00

• ○Evening: 18:00–20:00 → 18:00–21:00

▣ Enhanced Taxi Operations

• ●Bus stops to be opened as temporary taxi stands

• ●Minimize taxi downtime in cooperation with taxi unions

▣ Use of Private Vehicles

• ●Alternate-day driving rule and bus-only lane restrictions lifted
  ※ Drivers must still obey bus-lane traffic signals and regulations