Suwon Holds First Transportation Development Policy Forum

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon City held the 'First Transportation Development Policy Forum' on the 22nd at City Hall's situation room to explore ways to respond to changes in the 'transportation paradigm.'

The forum, held with the agenda of 'Establishing the Role Between Suwon's Transportation Modes and Discussing Future Development Directions,' proceeded with keynote presentations and discussions attended by Vice Mayor Jo Mu-young, public officials from relevant departments, and transportation experts.

Professor So Jae-hyun of Ajou University's Department of Transportation Systems Engineering, who presented on 'Understanding MaaS and Challenges for Successful Service Implementation,' said, "There is a need to explore 'Suwon-style MaaS'" and "To provide MaaS services, concrete implementation plans must be established."

'MaaS' (Integrated Mobility Services) is a system that integrates all transportation modes such as electric scooters, bicycles, automobiles, buses, taxis, railways, and airplanes, allowing users to call, reserve, and pay for all transportation methods through a single app.

Tasks for implementing MaaS include ▲Building a smart city platform ▲Incentive policies for MaaS participants ▲Implementing creative MaaS services ▲Securing finances through participation in national projects.

Kim Suk-hee, research fellow at the Suwon Research Institute, who presented on 'Policy Direction for Promoting Personal Mobility Device Use in Suwon,' said, "To activate personal mobility devices, appropriate travel spaces must be selected according to region, and an environment for safe operation must be created," and "Parking management, promotion of usage methods, safety education, insurance product improvements, and public transportation connections are necessary."

She added, "If personal mobility devices are activated, vehicle usage will decrease, reducing carbon emissions and cutting transportation costs."

The city plans to hold the 'Transportation Development Policy Forum' twice a year with participation from public officials, city council members, and external experts. The forum will proceed with keynote speeches and presentations related to the agenda and themed discussions.

Major agenda items for the forum include ▲Changes for a smart transportation system ▲Changes for a management and operation-focused transportation system ▲Changes for an eco-friendly transportation system ▲Changes for a people-centered transportation system.