Luyang Bus Offers Free Transfers Within 1 Hour: A New Travel Benefit? (IC Card Support Only?)
It's been a blink of an eye and it's now the end of March 2020. The annual Lyoyang Peony Festival is about to convene. For the city of Lyoyang, the peony culture festival is not only a tourism extravaganza, but also a key progress milestone for many city construction projects and events. Last year, the long-awaited mobile payment on buses finally launched on August 1st, a function that other cities had already implemented, which Lyoyang residents finally got a last chance to experience, no longer worrying about finding change. Recently, the Lyoyang Bus Group has made new moves: holding an IC card for buses allows for free transfers within one hour. Let's take a look at the details.
Lyoyang's public transportation development is always fast and slow. Regarding subway construction, it can be described as 'high-speed and rapid progress, day by day' . It's believed that by next June, people will be able to ride the subway. However, for buses, it seems to always lag behind. Take two very practical functions as examples: mobile payment and real-time location. Although Alipay and other third-party institutions such as Chaorui can provide very good interfaces for city services, Lyoyang has been slow to follow suit, which is not difficult to understand – they wanted to keep this pie to themselves and didn't want to share a slice. This reason is acceptable, but it has been a long time without corresponding services, which is frustrating for residents. This one-hour free transfer measure is also(shan shan lai chi –), just like it was delayed due to well-known special reasons. However, it's still a good thing to come late than never, and it deserves praise.
Prioritizing public transportation has significant benefits. Although Lyoyang is a third-tier city, it ranks among the cities with the most congestion. According to data, an average of 3 out of 10 households in Lyoyang own a car, plus the high-speed road construction and subway construction enclosures, it's easy to encounter traffic congestion. When public transportation becomes stronger, it can greatly alleviate this phenomenon, not only improving social efficiency but also protecting the environment. The convenience of transfers plays a decisive role. This free transfer measure was originally scheduled to launch during the peony festival's initial stages, but was delayed due to well-known special reasons. However, it's still a good thing to come late than never, and it deserves praise.
Regarding the upcoming one-hour free transfer measure, it is currently limited to bus IC cards, which is somewhat regrettable. Many people now use mobile payment. However, it is believed that it will gradually be improved and upgraded. It is also suggested that once the subway and BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) are opened, they should also be included in the free transfer nodes. After all, the transfer between buses and subways will undoubtedly become mainstream, greatly improving the travel environment for citizens and reducing the transportation costs of low-income groups. This will also enhance the coordination between different transportation modes and activate the entire public transportation network. In this way, it will benefit both social returns and industry effects, and contribute to the development of sub-center cities and the Lyoyang Metropolitan Circle.
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