Incheon designated 100 taxis last April to be used exclusively for passengers coming from overseas. (Yonhap)
INCHEON, July 16 (Korea Bizwire) — As coronavirus patients continue to flow from overseas into South Korea, public taxis exclusively available for people arriving from foreign destinations are making a significant contribution to quarantine efforts.
Currently, the city of Incheon operates 139 taxis for people coming from overseas, taking them across Incheon and Gyeonggi area.
The taxis are available at designated zones in front of Terminals 1 and 2 at Incheon International Airport.
The taxis help minimize physical contact by going directly from the airport to the passenger’s destination.
Inside the cab, the front and back seats are separated by a quarantine panel, with various disinfectants made available.
As both passengers and drivers are required to wear a mask inside the taxi, droplets are contained effectively.
Drivers are required to sanitize their hands whenever they carry the passenger’s luggage or receive a credit card for payment.
The taxi is disinfected, using a sanitizer placed inside the car, as soon as the passenger leaves.
Inside the cab, the front and back seats are separated by a quarantine panel. (Yonhap)
Incheon designated 100 taxis last April to be used exclusively for passengers coming from overseas, and spent 12 million won (US$10,000) to install quarantine panels.
Since then, another 39 taxis have had quarantine panels installed at the owner’s expense and received quarantine certification from the city.
They take on the primary role of preventing people from overseas from gaining contact with the local community. Not a single case of secondary infections has occurred from the taxis.
The continuous inflow of infection from overseas, however, is placing the drivers on constant alert.
“We keep to the principle of sanitizing everywhere the passenger went,” said Kim Seong-il, a local taxi driver. “We’re striving to leave no risk of infection.”
“Taxis for overseas passengers help to minimize the risk of infection in the local community, while helping keep track of all infection routes,” said Lee Jeong-du, head of traffic for Incheon Metropolitan Government.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
