"Deliver a car to your desired location within 1 hour"... SOCAR introduces 'Jigeum Delivery'

[Financial News] SOCAR is introducing a "Now Delivery" service that delivers a vehicle to a desired location within one hour of a car-sharing request. This measure is intended to increase the number of weekday users, whose demand is relatively lower compared to weekends. It is a strategic move to improve accessibility for weekday users while establishing itself as a regular means of transportation.
According to industry sources on the 15th, SOCAR is introducing the 'Now Delivery' beta service, along with a 50% discount on the 'one-way fare' charged for one-way use, and 'Commute to Work,' which allows use from the time you get off work until the time you go to work the next day.
Daily weekday travel, such as commuting to work, school drop-offs, or business meetings, has different usage conditions than weekend travel. Travel times are often short and one-way, and departure must be made at a fixed time. In this process, there was also the burden of having to travel to a SOCAR Zone to pick up a vehicle. To increase demand for weekday travel, SOCAR has revamped its products based on the prerequisites of 'vehicle access,' 'return,' and 'continuous use.'
The method of using 'Jigeum Delivery' is the same as the existing delivery (formerly 'Bureum') service. Customers select 'Jigeum Delivery' in the app and choose a vehicle based on their current location, and SOCAR delivers it directly to that location. If vehicle dispatch is not confirmed within 5 minutes of the customer selecting a vehicle, the reservation is automatically canceled, and no cancellation fee is charged.
To ensure dispatch stability, Jigeum Delivery assigns vehicles from locations closest to the customer. In the event that vehicle delivery is delayed due to unforeseen circumstances such as traffic control, compensation in the form of 'credits' usable on the SOCAR app is provided based on the delay level; additionally, the vehicle return time is automatically extended.
SOCAR has been operating a delivery service since 2018 that brings vehicles to your desired location. Reservations must be made 4 hours in advance for standard vehicles and at least 6 hours in advance for the premium Black Label service.
For the ‘commute home’ rental, which is available from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. the following day, the rental fee remains at 15,900 won on weekdays regardless of price fluctuations. Since you can rent a car on your way home and use it until the next morning's commute without returning it, there is no burden of having to rent a car again for the morning commute.
One-way fare discounts are also provided for users who do not have the time to return to their starting point. If you use the car-sharing service for a one-way trip of 4 hours or more, the one-way fare, which is charged separately from the vehicle rental fee, is discounted by 50%.
Meanwhile, if the Seoul Metropolitan Government's city bus strike proceeds as scheduled starting with the first bus on the 16th, SOCAR plans to immediately implement "car-sharing mobility support measures," such as providing 65% discount coupons on car rental fees, for Seoul citizens facing difficulties with daily mobility. The plan is to allow the use of these measures for mid-sized or smaller vehicles rented for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 16 hours; however, SOCAR intends to adjust support conditions, including applicable regions and vehicle types, depending on the progress of the strike and regional vehicle supply conditions.
"We plan to continuously enhance convenience so that car sharing becomes a natural fixture in daily travel, such as commuting, going beyond travel or long-distance weekend trips," said Ahn Dong-hwa, Head of SOCAR's Car Sharing Division. "Our goal is to provide a service that allows users to access a car immediately and without burden whenever a vehicle is needed."

[email protected] Jang Min-kwon Reporter