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Busan Metropolitan City Launches “Duribal Transportation Support Service for Bedridden Persons with Disabilities,” the First of Its Kind Among Local Governments Nationwide

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will launch the “Duribal Transportation Support Service for Bedridden Persons with Disabilities” starting February 2, introducing mobile stretcher equipment to Duribal, the city’s special transportation service, for the first time among local governments nationwide.

Bedridden persons with disabilities refer to severely disabled individuals with mobility impairments who are unable to use standard wheelchairs and can only be transported on mobile stretchers.

In December last year, the city incorporated provisions on transportation support for bedridden persons with disabilities into the Ordinance on the Promotion of Mobility Convenience for Transportation Vulnerable Persons of Busan Metropolitan City. It also converted one multi-passenger Duribal vehicle into a specially equipped vehicle with a mobile stretcher structure.

Duribal is Busan’s special transportation service equipped with ramps, lifts, and other facilities to assist wheelchair boarding and alighting for transportation vulnerable persons.

The new service will safely and conveniently support transportation to hospitals within the city for medical treatment and rehabilitation for bedridden persons with disabilities who previously could not use Duribal due to difficulties with standard wheelchairs.

Eligible users are severely bedridden persons with mobility impairments who are registered residents of Busan Metropolitan City. The fare is KRW 5,000 per one-way trip, and travel is available to hospitals within the city, including Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital.

For safe transportation, a professionally trained welfare manager and support staff will accompany the user during the trip.

In addition, the city will operate the transportation support service for bedridden persons with disabilities through a two-track system, utilizing not only Duribal but also private ambulance vehicles.

Bedridden persons with disabilities may use vehicles operated by private ambulance providers that have signed operation agreements with the city, in addition to Duribal, when traveling to hospitals.

Citizens wishing to use the “Duribal Transportation Support Service for Bedridden Persons with Disabilities” may register as eligible users starting February 2 by following the guidance provided on the Busan Disabled Call Taxi Duribal website (duribal.co.kr) or through the call center (☎1555-1114), and must make a reservation in advance between seven and one days prior to the intended date of use.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “The launch of this service returns the achievements of our city’s Duribal program, which ranked first among local governments nationwide for four consecutive years in lottery fund project evaluations, to welfare benefits that improve mobility convenience for transportation vulnerable persons in blind spots.” He added, “Going forward, we will continue to actively link and utilize national and municipal financial resources, including lottery funds, to promote qualitative expansion and advancement of transportation services for transportation vulnerable persons.”