Pusan National University (PNU)'s nighttime shuttle bus service will resume after three and a half years.

Daeyeong bus, the operator of PNU's shuttle bus “Geumjeong 7” route, said in a call with “Channel PNU” on May 16th that it is planned to resume the nighttime operation of the shuttle bus from the second semester. It will run four times - every 40 minutes from 8 pm - on weekdays during the semester using one bus.

Shuttle bus nighttime service was suspended in March 2020 due to COVID-19. This is because the company had to pay drivers 50% of the night allowance when driving at night, and there was a deficit. Shin Yoon-Yeol, vice president of Daeyeong bus, said, "Night operation is a deficit, so it is a structure that makes up for the deficit with profits through the daytime operation. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to offset it by using the surplus from the daytime operation, but it became difficult as the number of passengers plummeted." He continued, "These days, employees also want to have a restful life, and even if they give them extra pay, there is no one who wants to work."

Nevertheless, it is because of the students' request that the nighttime operation of the shuttle bus resumed. The Student council of PNU requested the resumption of night operations on behalf of the students' opinions at the meeting of University Headquarters, Student Council, and Daeyeong bus officials earlier this year. Jung Yoon-Yong (Manager, Dept. of General Affairs), who is in charge of the shuttle bus, explained, "As the pandemic has been normalized, the student council requested the resumption for the convenience of students, and we delivered this request to Daeyeong bus on the spot." Vice President Shin also said, "There are many students who called directly (to resume night bus operations). We have decided to resume nighttime services as a service level."

The resumption of night operation for the second semester has been confirmed, but it is unknown whether it will continue. Daeyeong bus will review whether it will continue after watching the operation progress of this second semester. Shin said, “The number of passengers has still not fully recovered to 85-90% compared to before the pandemic, the internal combustion engine bus has been discontinued and it is necessary to install an electric charging station. It is still a burden to deal with the nighttime operation, but we plan to try it.”

The Head Office is in a position to review the support for the continuation of night operations. According to “Polyadapters,” an external activity group that is coordinating opinions between the university headquarters and Daeyeong bus, Daeyeong bus said that it intends to disclose its financial statements, profit and loss statements, and deficits from the operation of the second semester for support. Chung said, “It has not been confirmed, but we are willing to review the application if we are sure of the evidence everyone can understand and the benefits that students will get from it.”

Reporter Jun Hyung-Seo

Translated by Kim Hyeon-Hee