Complaints about Ulsan city buses passing through stops without stopping have persisted. Passengers, anxious that buses will drive past, wave to signal they want to board, while drivers say unclear boarding signals—such as passengers absorbed in their smartphones—often cause misunderstandings.
At about 10 a.m. on the 9th at the bus stop in front of Sinjeong Market in Nam‑gu, a commuter frantically waved at an approaching bus. Observing the stop for roughly an hour, reporters found that about six of every ten buses passing by had waiting passengers who began waving to indicate they intended to board before the buses came to a full stop.
Yu, 71, told reporters, \"I once stood still without waving and the bus didn't stop — it just sped past. After that, I felt so anxious that I always wave.\"
Choi Myung‑hwa, 59, said, \"Sometimes drivers act as if they don't see people at the stop and just drive by. I wave to make sure the bus stops.\"
Ulsan City Hall and the Ulsan Bus Operators Association have received a steady stream of complaints about buses failing to stop. The association's website shows more than 10 complaints about no‑stop incidents filed in February alone.
Drivers, however, offered a different explanation: they say the passes are not deliberate but often result from passengers' failure to clearly signal their intent to board.
City bus driver Kim Bong‑hak said, \"Our rule is to stop if we see someone waiting at the stop. But passengers need to show they are ready to board. If someone stands at the stop staring at their smartphone, from the driver's perspective we have to assume they are not getting on.\"
\"Sometimes people only start chasing the bus after it has passed and then complain, 'Why did you go by?'\" he added. He said that if someone sits on the inner bench with their head down, they can fall into a driver's blind spot and truly be unseen, forcing the driver to pass.
An Ulsan city official said complaints about buses not stopping keep coming in. \"When we review dashcam footage to verify the facts, we find cases where drivers deliberately pass stops, but also situations in which drivers are unfairly accused,\" the official said. \"If intentional no‑stops occur frequently, we will take strong measures, including cutting financial support to bus operators.\"
