SK Planet’s public transit app rides popularity wave

Information technology solutions developer SK Planet said Monday its real-time public transport mobile app service had crossed the 4-million download mark.

Utilizing its capabilities to collect and analyze traffic data across the nation, the affiliate of SK Group launched the mobile app, dubbed T Map Public Transit, in September last year. The number of daily active users for the app has surpassed 200,000 since then, and around 60 percent of commuters during use the app during rush hour, the company said.

“T Map Public Transit, which provides users real-time traffic information and schedules for buses, and subways, earned trust from the users,” said Lee Hae-yeol, head of SK Planet’s location-based service business division.

He pledged to beef up the map and public transit service by seamlessly integrating data for public transport and traffic.

The mobile app recommends routes with the quickest travel routes, lowest estimated fares and shortest ride times based on users’ queries.

SK Planet also launched taxi hailing service T Map Taxi in April to maximize synergy with the navigation app T Map and T Map Public Transit.

Some market watchers forecast the competition in the market for mobile transport and navigation apps would further heat up in future, with more players jumping on the wagon.

Having acquired Korea’s No. 2 mobile navigation app Kimgisa earlier this year, mobile messenger operator Daum Kakao has also been trying to outrun SK Planet in the navigation app segment.

The mobile messenger firm’s taxi hailing app Kakao Taxi has topped the taxi booking app market here, beating Uber, the pioneer in the world’s car sharing and taxi booking service sector.

By Kim Young-won  (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)