Socar said on Tuesday it will expand its 'Now Delivery' service, which brings a car to a requested location within 1 hour after a vehicle is called, across Seoul.

With Now Delivery, customers select a vehicle in the app based on their current location and Socar delivers it to that location. If dispatch is not confirmed within 5 minutes after selecting a vehicle, the reservation is automatically cancelled and no cancellation fee is charged. If delivery is delayed due to traffic controls, credits are provided as compensation and the return time is automatically extended. Socar has operated the delivery service since 2018.

Weekday trips often take little time and end as one-way travel, and users must depart at a set time. There has also been the burden of going to a Socarzone to rent a vehicle. Socar explained it has revamped how users access and return vehicles and how continuous use works, reflecting those factors.

Fare plans to improve weekday travel convenience will also be maintained and expanded. The flat-rate 'after-work commute' fare for rentals from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. the next day will be kept at 15,900 won on weekdays regardless of inflation. The one-way fee added for one-way use of 4 hours or more will be discounted by 50 percent. Users will be able to rent a car on the way home after work and use it without returning it until commuting the next day, and one-way use will also be available, allowing users to rent near home and return near their destination.

Andonghwa (안동화), head of Socar's car-sharing division, said, "We plan to continuously improve convenience so that car-sharing use can naturally take root not only for travel or weekend long-distance trips but also for everyday travel such as commuting," and added, "Our goal is to provide a service that can be used right away without 부담 in any moment when a car is needed."

Socar has also prepared measures in case Seoul's city bus strike proceeds as scheduled from the first buses on the 16th. It plans to issue coupons offering a 65 percent discount on rental fees so users can rent mid-size or smaller vehicles for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 16 hours. The company plans to adjust the applicable areas and vehicle types depending on the progress of the strike and local vehicle supply conditions. With buses accounting for about 20 percent of Seoul's intra-city transport mode share, the company said, the aim is to reduce the travel burden for residents who lack suitable alternative transport.