| Title |
Spatial Inequality in Night Bus Accessibility by Housing Types in
Seoul |
| Authors |
김문정(Kim, Moon Jeong);김시곤(Kim, Si Gon) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.12652/Ksce.2025.45.3.0395 |
| Keywords |
심야버스, 대중교통 접근성, GIS 공간분석, 주거 유형 Night bus, Public transport accessibility, GIS spatial analysis, Housing type |
| Abstract |
Since 2013, Seoul has operated a late-night bus service, known as the “Owl Bus”, to improve nighttime mobility. The service was
designed based on demand forecasting using mobile communication-based floating population data and has demonstrated high usage
levels since its introduction. However, the route design, which primarily focuses on commercial areas, raises concerns about spatial
accessibility and equity for residential neighborhoods. This study empirically examines spatial disparities in late-night bus accessibility
across different residential types in Seoul. Residential areas were categorized into apartment-type, non-apartment-type, and vulnerable
housing using building registry data, and late-night bus stop locations were mapped. A 500-meter walkable buffer was established
around each stop to determine the number of residential buildings by type within the accessible area. Accessibility ratios were then
calculated for each district, and inter-type differences were quantified using a “Coverage Rate Gap” metric. The results show that the
average accessibility rate in Seoul is 66.5 %, with district-level values ranging from 34.6 % (Nowon-gu) to 98.1 % (Jung-gu). Notably,
Seongdong-gu exhibited an accessibility gap of up to 30 percentage points between housing types, suggesting that disparities are
influenced not only by residential form but also by geographic location. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating
spatial equity considerations into the design of nighttime transit systems. |