• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
• /
• v.20 no.4 s.58
• /
• pp.69-75
• /
• 2005

Professional taxi driver exposure to indoor air pollutants has been a subject of concern in recent years because of higher levels of air pollutants, comparing to the surrounding atmosphere. This study evaluated the potential exposure to respirable suspended particulate (RSP), nitrogen dioxide $(NO_2)$ and volatile organic compounds (VOCs; benzene and toluene) for professional taxi drivers inside each of 10 vehicles in Pusan, comparing weekday (Monday and Thursday) and weekend (Saturday). Indoor mean concentrations of RSP inside vehicle were $53.88\;ug/m^3\;and\;75.52\;ug/m^3$ on weekday and weekend, respectively. Measured indoor $NO_2$ concentrations were 28.32ppb and 40.69 ppb, respectively. Benzene and toluene mean concentrations inside vehicle were 5.41 ppb and 11.36 ppb, respectively. Considering no smoking of taxi drivers inside vehicle, closed window in winter, and increased usage of taxi on weekend, source of indoor air pollutants inside taxi might be mainly suggested from the number of passenger's carried, faulty exhaust systems, and engine and carburetor evaporative emissions.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.108-117
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between customer contact service and mental health among Korean taxi drivers. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data collected from the 2015 Korean Working Conditions Survey. The sample included 496 taxi drivers in South Korea. The effect of customer contact service on mental health was analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The independent variables were general characteristics, working conditions, and hazardous factors in interactive service. Results: The prevalence of poor mental health was 56.3%. Taxi drivers experienced emotional involvement (17.2%), hiding feeling (32.0%), and contact with angry clients (18.3%) in their job. During the first month of their work, 33.7% experienced verbal abuse and 12.3% threats/humiliating behaviors. In bivariate analysis, verbal abuse, threats/humiliating behaviors, and physical violence were associated with mental health of taxi drivers. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed 'emotional involvement' and 'contact with angry clients' were significant predictors of mental health. Conclusion: The findings of this study may be useful in developing intervention programs to improve the mental health of taxi drivers in South Korea.

• ETRI Journal
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.220-231
• /
• 2022

Building smart transportation services in urban cities has become a worldwide problem owing to the rapidly increasing global population and the development of Internet-of-Things applications. Traffic congestion and environmental concerns can be alleviated by sharing mobility, which reduces the number of vehicles on the road network. The taxi-parcel sharing problem has been considered as an efficient planning model for people and goods flows. In this paper, we enhance the functionality of a current people-parcel taxi sharing model. The adapted model analyzes the historical request data and predicts the current service demands. We then propose two novel online routing algorithms that construct optimal routes in real-time. The objectives are to maximize (as far as possible) both the parcel delivery requests and ride requests while minimizing the idle time and travel distance of the taxis. The proposed online routing algorithms are evaluated on instances adapted from real Cabspotting datasets. After implementing our routing algorithms, the total idle travel distance per day was 9.64% to 12.76% lower than that of the existing taxi-parcel sharing method. Our online routing algorithms can be incorporated into an efficient smart shared taxi system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.46-57
• /
• 1985

The objective of this paper is to derive a optimum distance and time taxi fare structure based on social costs. Social costs expressed in terms of congestion and vehicle operating costs were successfully internalized. Speed and volume data for three major arterials in Seoul CBD were used. Optimum congestion charge turned out to be 97.01 Won/Km which can be regarded as congestion tax in the context of Seoul CBD. This congestion tax can possibly be incorporated into time-based taxi fare structure. Congestion is likely to be reduced as a result of imposition of time-based taxi fare which reflects social costs.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.57-65
• /
• 2022

Gyeongsangnam-do has been operating Bravo-taxi, a Gyeongnam-type DRT using taxi vehicles, since 2017 to guarantee the right of mobility for residents who live in areas lacking public transportation. This research investigated and analyzed changes in users' awareness over two years from beginning of Bravo-taxi operation in Gyeongsangnam-do, which started operating Bravo-taxis in 2017, targeting sites lacking public transportation. Through this study, the positive effects of taxi-type DRT were confirmed, such as improving the mobility of residents in areas underprivileged by public transportation, reducing required time for trips, and increasing preference for Bravo-taxis compared to existing buses. On the other hand, problems with the current Bravo-taxi system were also identified. In some areas, it was found that there were not enough coupons for Bravo-taxis, or in the case of Bravo-taxis operating at fixed times, the user's desired time and operating time did not match, resulting in lower satisfaction. The results of this research are expected to be utilized as basic data for service continuity of taxi-type DRT in operation by other local governments.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.9-16
• /
• 1991

Personal NO$_{2}$ expousre and time activity patterns were measured during March, 1991 for 46 taxi drivers in the Seoul area. Badge-type personal samplers were worn for 24 hours by taxidrivers for monitoring personal expousre to NO$_{2}$. A standard respiratory questionnaire was administered and pulmonary function test was performed using a protable spirometry. The mean concentrations of personal NO$_{2}$ expousres of taxi drivers were 0.55ppm. Personal NO$_{2}$ exposures of taxi drivers were seemed to be higher in longer period of driving, smokers, and use of LP gas in homes. Prevalence rate of respiratory symptoms and the level of pulmonary function(FEV$_{1.0}$ and FVC) seemed to be related to higher personal NO$_{2}$ concentrations. It is concluded that persoanl NO$_{2}$ expousres of taxi drivers are probably affected by indoor NO$_{2}$ levels of a tax/and their common activities.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.139-143
• /
• 2013

In 2008, according to Statistics Korea's population over the age of 20 and 26.3% of the smokers, 73.7% were non-smokers, smokers and non-smokers by smoking of 22.0% was reported. 336 people of 255 people (75.9%) is currently also showed that smoking. Hypertension, 48 people(14.30%), the boundary type of high blood pressure 193 people (57.40%) of them, especially for high blood pressure appear as a systematic management is required. 336 people targeting taxi drivers smoking and blood pressure, and the relevance of the reserch results did not show a statistically significant difference. Current smokers of 336 people surveyed 255 people (75.90%), respectively. Men over 15 years old in Korea smoking population (1990) was reported as 73.2%, Lee 2001, according etc. Korea 61.8% of the adult male smoking rate is quite high as compared to what is reported. Taxi drivers are working in very bad working conditions. The health of a taxi driver affect the safety of customers were considered.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.55-62
• /
• 2014

For professional drivers, there is a possibility to have musculoskeletal disorders on ankle joint due to repetitive pedaling operation. Therefore, this study have focused to examine ankle active range of motion (AROM), dorsiflexor strength, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) of tibialis anterior muscle (TA) in taxi drivers compared to a age-matched control group. Thirty male taxi drivers with at least 10 years of driving experience and thirty male sedentary workers were evaluated for ankle AROM, dorsiflexor strength, and PPT of TA. Multiple independent t-tests were used to identify significant differences between two groups. For the results, taxi drivers had significantly less AROM in dorsiflexion and greater AROM in external tibial rotation compared to the control group. Also, dorsiflexor strength and PPT of TA in taxi drivers was significantly lower than in the control group. This study indicates that the repetitive ankle movements associated with driving have an effect on ankle AROM, dorsiflexor strength, and PPT of TA and may lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders on ankle. Professional drivers may need to be educated to prevent a potential musculoskeletal disorders associated with repetitive movement.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
• /
• v.4 no.6
• /
• pp.651-677
• /
• 2017

For the past ten years' efforts have been made to introduce environmentally-friendly "green" electric-taxi and maneuvering airplane systems. The stated purpose of e-taxi systems is to reduce the taxiing fuel expenses, expedite pushback procedures, reduce gate congestion, reduce ground crew involvement, and reduce noise and air pollution levels at large airports. Airplane-based autonomous traction electric motors receive power from airplane's APU(s) possibly supplemented by onboard batteries. Using additional battery energy storages ads significant inert weight. Systems utilizing nose-gear traction alone are often traction-limited posing serious dispatch problems that could disrupt airport operations. Existing APU capacities are insufficient to deliver power for tractive taxiing while also providing for power off-takes. In order to perform comparative and objective analysis of taxi tractive requirements a "standard" taxiing cycle has been proposed. An analysis of reasonably expected tractive resistances has to account for steepest taxiway and runway slopes, taxiing into strong headwind, minimum required coasting speeds, and minimum acceptable acceleration requirements due to runway incursions issues. A mathematical model of tractive resistances was developed and was tested using six different production airplanes all at the maximum taxi/ramp weights. The model estimates the tractive force, energy, average and peak power requirements. It has been estimated that required maximum net tractive force should be 10% to 15% of the taxi weight for safe and expeditious airport movements. Hence, airplanes can be dispatched to move independently if the operational tractive taxi coefficient is 0.1 or higher.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.288-294
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to comprehensively examine middle-aged male taxi drivers' perceptions of the risk of cardiovascular disease. Methods: A qualitative method was used, with focus group interviews. The participants were middle-aged male taxi drivers who had been driving for more than ten years and for more than six hours daily. Results: The data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. Middle-aged male taxi drivers' perceptions of the risk of cardiovascular disease were categorized into three main themes: "individual perceptions of cardiovascular disease", "possibility of behaviors for cardiovascular disease" and "motivations of behaviors for cardiovascular disease". Six sub-themes were extracted as follows: "perception of vulnerability", "perception of seriousness", "perception of profitability", "perception of disability", "self-awareness" and "advancing toward health care". Conclusion: It is necessary to invigorate support systems through measures including education, counseling, and web-based programs to prevent cardiovascular disease in middle-aged male taxi drivers.