▲ Hamyang Jirisan Express / Director Yang Ki-hwan

Though the number of users is decreasing, express buses are still a good means of transportation especially in rural areas. Intercity buses are being run third largest in South Gyeongsang Province and Yang Ki-hwan, Director of Hamyang Jirisan Express, also serves as the president of the Gyeongsangnam-do Bus Transportation Association. “I feel a great sense of responsibility as I take on the position of president, as bus transportation companies are experiencing financial difficulties due to the decrease in bus passengers caused by the development of personal cars, subways, and high-speed railways. During my term, I will do my best to promote the rights and interests of association members through mutual exchanges and to ensure that the intercity buses with 62 years of tradition can be used safely and conveniently for the residents in South Gyeongsang Province” says Yang. The association consists of 47 bus companies with around 5,000 members, the third largest in scale in the nation. “The association analyzes the current status of the industry through statistics and various surveys and studies for the development of intercity buses and draws improvements, and runs education and training programs for managers and employees to enhance the professionalism of those in the industry. We support each operator to conduct efficient and stable management, and we prioritize the safety of citizens through supervision and safety management” says Yang. 

Hamyang Jirisan Express

Hamyang Transport, former name of Hamyang Jirisan Express, once was nearly closed due to an accident that killed many passengers. Taking over the business and renamed the company, Yang worked hard with his 40 years of experience in the industry and opened a line to East Seoul, Seoul Nambu Terminal, Anyang, Bucheon and Baekwoon-dong. “Hamyang is a rural area, so more than 70% of passengers are elderly. That’s why we are urging our employees to be considerate of the elderly as well as safety” says Yang. He prevents accidents through thorough maintenance, and to this end, he only uses new tires, not retreads. The company was selected as an excellent transportation safety company by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2012 for introducing a digital driving recorder. He trains drivers not to suddenly accelerate or stop suddenly. He also introduced the county’s first eco-friendly electric bus. “The bus cannot stop running if there is even one passenger. This is my 80 employees’ promise” says Yang. It is increasingly common for late passengers to reserve a seat for two for their own convenience and then cancel just before the bus departs, leaving the bus terminal operator with the cancellation fee and the bus operator with one less passenger, which is costly. So Yang asks us to reserve only the necessary number of seats.  “In addition, for the safety of passengers, the existing corrosive iron fuel tanks, which are a major contributor to fires, must be replaced with aluminum” points out Yang. In 2020, he helped open the Jirisan Seongsamjae to East Seoul route, which helped attract tourists to Hamyang and the province. “We will operate buses comfortably and safely for tourists visiting Hamyang from all over the country” says Yang.