Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/06/10/2009061000838.html

Taxis for Foreign Tourists Prove Popular Taxis exclusively designed for foreign tourists, which debuted in May, are enjoying popularity among their targeted customers.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government Monday said that the average daily number of reservations for these taxis from May 1 until June 4 was 15.3. Some 120 taxis are currently in operation exclusively for foreigners, and all of the drivers are fluent in English or Japanese. The average fare was W65,900 (US$1=W1,263), with 69.8 percent of all journeys being between Seoul and Incheon and Gimpo airports.

The popularity of these taxis is attributed to the easy booking system and reasonable price. They are run on a reservation basis, and bookings can be made through a call center (1644-2255) 24 hours a day in English or Japanese.

[wylies99]

BTW, thanks smee for linking the article- http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/06/taxis-for-foreigners-popular-according.html

I'm guessing that the "popularity" of these cabs is because it's actually easier to order them and that maybe, just maybe, that Koreans who want to practice English are using them to PRACTICE ENGLISH IN AN EVERYDAY SETTING.


Any other guesses? C'mon, I know some of you have opinions about this.

[Ginormousaurus]

Considering the average fare is W65,900, and the majority of trips are between Seoul and the two airports, I think it's unlikely that Koreans are using them for English practice, especially seeing how the drivers are Koreans and not native speakers.

I wonder if this service has been promoted heavily to companies with foreign clients coming into Seoul? I doubt that too many English teachers would be using them or recommending them to visiting family members (as a means of getting from the airport and into Seoul, that is).

[Unposter]

They are probably being used and paid for by Korean companies for foreign visiting clients because the Korean company cannot be bothered to pick up their visiting foreign client.

[Smee]

wylies I doubt that Koreans will take these cabs and speak English with the Korean cabbies.

I guess it's tourists using this to go to and from the airport, because people with experience here know that there are convenient airport buses for a fraction of the price. Maybe they reserve one just for some piece of mind when showing up in a foreign country.

It's been a while since I paid attention to taxis there, but at the taxi stand do they have a sign up that says how much a ride from the airport to various spots in Seoul should cost? (as a way to scare away the scam artists?)

Anyway, my blog post was kind of asking why these were considered popular, when it didn't look like they were getting a ton of use.

[kabrams]

[Yesterday]

Wylies - we all read "Korea Beat" and "Marmots Hole"

We don't need you to steal their articles everyday and post it here on daves.


http://koreabeat.com/

http://www.rjkoehler.com/