Busan Port Authority upgrades shuttle bus app for New Port workers

The Busan Port Authority (BPA) said it has upgraded its dedicated shuttle bus app for workers at Busan New Port to reduce commute times, with new services rolling out Wednesday.

Shuttle bus stops within the port are positioned based on the locations of individual companies, meaning that skipping stops with no passengers could cut commute times and operating costs. However, demand at each stop has been scattered and unpredictable, limiting the ability to optimize routes. In winter, when daylight hours are short, and during rainy weather, poorly lit waiting areas have also made it difficult for drivers to spot passengers.

In response, the BPA analyzed user patterns and requirements accumulated over time and upgraded the app by incorporating geofencing technology, enabling shuttle stops to be adjusted flexibly based on real-time passenger demand.

When a user enters their boarding and alighting stops in advance through the app, the driver can view real-time reservation data for each stop and minimize unnecessary halts. The authority expects the upgrade to shorten commute times for passengers while also lowering operating costs and reducing vehicle emissions.

Starting Wednesday, the BPA will promote the new service to shuttle bus users through on-site guidance and outreach. Based on the results of an approximately one-month pilot and a user satisfaction survey, the authority plans to analyze usage patterns and apply the findings to route adjustments in the second half of the year.

More than 100 companies — including container terminal operators, businesses in the port's logistics complex and government agencies — are based at Busan New Port. Because no public transportation connects the city center to the port's interior, workers have long faced difficulties commuting. To address this, the BPA, the city of Busan, container terminal operators and businesses in the logistics complex have shared costs to run weekday commuter shuttle buses at Busan New Port since 2011.