Seoul to launch universal-design taxi pilot, letting disabled and non-disabled riders share the same cab

A new type of taxi that ordinarily serves non-disabled passengers but can fold its seats to accommodate a wheelchair when needed will begin operating on Seoul streets in July.

Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to launch a pilot program running 12 UD taxis — universal-design taxis — starting next month.

A UD taxi is a multipurpose vehicle that serves general passengers, elderly riders and families with young children under normal circumstances, but can fold its rear seats to make room for a wheelchair when a disabled passenger boards. The floor step is kept low and the interior ceiling height is raised, making it easy for people with limited mobility to get in and out.

Well-known overseas examples of the UD taxi concept include the British "black cab" (TX) and Japan's "Japan Taxi."

The model Seoul is introducing is the PV5 WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle), a wheelchair-accessible variant of the PV5 developed by Kia. According to Hyundai Motor and Kia, the PV5 WAV is an eco-friendly electric vehicle with a step height of 399 millimeters — lower than the 480-millimeter step on Kia's Carnival. It is the first electric vehicle to feature side-entry access, and its second-row seats have been removed while the third-row seats fold flat, providing ample space for a wheelchair.

Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province preceded Seoul by introducing nine PV5 WAV units earlier this month.

Seoul plans to operate a total of 12 UD taxis during the pilot. "We will run them through December and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the UD taxi as well as its overall effectiveness," a city official said.

Seoul has been steadily expanding its fleet of disability call taxis to improve mobility for transportation-vulnerable residents. As of April, the city had secured a total of 848 such vehicles — 691 dedicated disability call taxis, 150 corporate specially equipped taxis and seven disability buses.

A total of 42,891 people with disabilities are currently registered with the Seoul Facilities Management Corporation to use disability call taxis — roughly one taxi for every 50 registered users by simple arithmetic.

The city aims to secure as many disability call taxis as possible so that disabled passengers face no barriers to getting around.

"Our goal is for passengers to be able to board within 30 minutes of calling, except during peak-hour traffic congestion," a city official said, adding that the city also plans to step up recruitment of drivers — a persistent shortfall that has drawn repeated criticism.

Seoul allocates 120 billion won ($78.1 million) annually to transportation policies for mobility-vulnerable residents.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon said at a Disability Awareness Day event in April that the city would secure disability call taxis at 150 percent of the legally required standard and cut waiting times to within 30 minutes.