Recently the Ministry of Land announced that they were reconsidering policy of sharing a cab. Even among transportation experts, this policy is controversial. Some people agree with the policy because the application like Kakao T can ensure the safety and solve traffic jam. On the other hand, some people disagree with the policy because of worry about criminal and feeling uneasy when they shares a cab.



In Korea, people used to share cabs, but that policy was abolished in 1982 and is currently illegal. However, on February 27, the Ministry of Land announced that they were reconsidering that policy. Although cab sharing was abolished because of problems, now I agree with reviving the policy of sharing a cab.
First, using an app to find and share a cab will reduce crime and people’s worries. The biggest problem is that people don’t want to share a cab with strangers. Fortunately, some apps like Kakao Taxi have a safe, reliable system. When people setup the app, they have to use their national ID number to make an account. This way, we can check who will share a cab with us. Also, we leave a trace when using an app to share a cab. There is a record of each trip that includes where someone gets in a cab, the route and where someone gets out. This should decrease concern about crime when sharing a cab.
Second, at night and during rush-hour, many people have difficulty catching a cab. Cab sharing is an alternative that can solve that problem. If the policy is implemented, taxi drivers couldn’t choose who will take their taxis. This allows customers to get taxis more easily, especially in rush-hour when traffic is bad. If people share a cab, the traffic jams will also decrease.
Third, it is cheaper when we share a cab. In Japan, the government has already implemented a 40% discount when sharing a cab, so some people share a cab and appreciate the possibility to save money. Some people say that some customers don’t want to share a cab to protect their private space. Alternatively, some customers want to share a cab and get a discount. This will be beneficial to not only customers, but also taxi drivers. Taxi sharing will allow taxi drivers to earn more money while passengers pay less.
Before the policy is changed, there needs to be a system to protect passengers from crime and ensure accurate billing. Then, people can enjoy the benefits of taxi sharing without any of the problems.

●Opinion from a reader
(Jang Chea-yeon, Department of Police Administration)
Cab sharing is the most efficient solution that can relieve the difficulty of getting on a cab at night. Using Kakao T is one of the solutions, which is popular for confidence. This application provides easy instruction, so users who are even in their forties and fifties can use without difficulty. Also they can inform family of their destination and license plate number. In that regard, it ensures safety. If we have the choice of sharing a cab and using app removes dangerousness of crime, we will get on a cab more conveniently without traffic jam in Korea.



Recently, the government has started thinking about a taxi sharing policy. Taxi sharing was a system used in the past when the supply of taxis was small compared to the demand for transportation. However, from 1982, it was banned entirely due to various negative side effects such as fare disputes and safety issues. However, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it would consider reviving the taxi sharing system. They say that this policy is being considered again because of late night traffic jams and environmental issues. The government thinks that taxi sharing can reduce these things. However, many people worry about this policy because of safety. In my opinion, sharing a cab is not good for people.
First, crimes can occur in a cab. The government said that safety issues will not occur if GPS tracking and national ID numbers are used through the taxi sharing app. Even though taxi sharing would be operated by app, accidents could happen. For example, if people use phones registered under fabricated names or identification checks are not done in advance, crimes can happen.
Second, people can feel uneasy and displeased when they share a cab with strangers. According to a survey by the Korea Transport Institute, people replied that ‘I feel not good when I share a cab with strangers.’ Other reasons that people give for not sharing a cab are ‘I want to get to my destination fast without sharing a cab’ and ‘I worry about criminals.’
Third, taxi costs will not be lower for passengers with this taxi sharing policy. People can’t save money on taxi fare by sharing a cab because of how the government said fares will be calculated. Fares will be calculated for each passenger from start to finish with no discount for the shared portion of the trip. This means that the driver will get double or even triple the normal fare during the shared portion. For example, two people get a taxi at Keimyung station. The first gets out at Yongsan Station and pays the fare for that trip. The other person continues on to Duryu Station and pays the fare from Keimyung to Duryu. That means the portion from Keimyung to Yongsan is paid for twice with no savings for either passenger. This policy will benefit taxi drivers, and maybe the government, but definitely not passengers.
In conclusion, a taxi sharing policy is not welcome for taxi users because of factors such as safety problems, inconvenience to passengers and taxi fares. Therefore, this policy must not be implemented. The government must rethink this policy before they enact it.

●Opinion from a reader(Ku Ye-rin, Major in Tourism Management)
I'm opposed to the taxi sharing policy. If a taxi sharing polish is implemented, I may need to take a taxi with strangers. I think that is inconvenient. Moreover, I don't know anything about them, so I would worry that they would commit a crime. If the government wants to implement a taxi sharing policy, the government should study how to operate this system safely.