Socar partners with Seoul district on free shuttle bus service

Seoul, South Korea—Socar (403550. KS) said on Monday it is partnering with Seoul's Seongdong district to provide a free shuttle bus service connecting public facilities.

The "Seonggong Bus" began pilot operations on Oct. 2. It aims to improve resident mobility and address district traffic congestion and environmental issues.

Socar is providing operational solutions based on its car-sharing technology, including:

• A boarding pass system accessible via a dedicated website
• Installation of Socar Telematics System (STS) on 25-seater buses for real-time data transmission
• Mobile access to bus locations and stop information

The partnership stems from a memorandum of understanding signed between the parties in September to address transportation issues.

Eun-Jung Cho, head of Socar's Enterprise Group, said this project represents the first application of Socar's operational solutions to public institution mobility services.

The pilot service will run until December, with entire operations scheduled to begin in January 2025. 

The shuttle connects 22 stops in areas with limited public transportation, operating on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 15-minute intervals.

Socar said it will offer discounts on its car-sharing and electric bicycle services to shuttle users.

The company did not disclose the financial details of the partnership.