Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's metropolitan transport body to extend flat-rate refund program, lower eligibility threshold through September
Commuter transit support measures, including discounts under the Modu's Card program, will remain in place even as the vehicle odd-even restriction and the public parking lot five-day rotation rule were lifted Wednesday.
The Metropolitan Area Wide Traffic Commission under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Wednesday that although the government lowered its resource security crisis alert to the "Caution" level on June 30, it will continue the Modu's Card flat-rate refund program in line with its goals of promoting public transit use and easing congestion.
Under the extended measures, the threshold amount required to qualify for the flat-rate refund will be cut by more than 50 percent from the current level, and commuters who travel during off-peak hours before and after rush hour will receive a 30-percentage-point boost to their base refund rate. Both benefits will continue through September.
However, the commission said it will review whether to continue other measures — including additional train services on congested urban rail lines such as the Sinbundang Line and Seoul Metro Lines 2 and 7, as well as temporary increases in Seoul city bus and express bus services — taking into account passenger convenience and congestion trends.
"Although the resource security crisis alert level has been lowered, we plan to stay the course on our policy direction of easing commute congestion and making public transit a more convenient way to travel," said Kim Yong-seok, chairman of the Metropolitan Area Wide Traffic Commission.
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