In the Shikoku region, where the population is declining, railway companies and bus companies are moving to strengthen cooperation across industries.
JR Shikoku has decided to operate the fare integrally with the largest bus company in Tokushima prefecture in some sections in order to maintain the local public transportation network.
According to the people concerned, JR Shikoku plans to strengthen cooperation with Tokushima Bus, the largest bus company in Tokushima Prefecture, to maintain the local public transportation network.
JR Shikoku has been working to make transfers smoother by adjusting the schedules of some sections of the "JR Mugi Line" in the southern part of Tokushima Prefecture, where the Tokushima Bus lines are parallel.
However, since it is necessary to pay the initial fare for both rail and bus, both companies will operate the fare integrally in this section in order to improve convenience.
By doing this, for example, even if you get off the train and change to a bus at the bus stop in front of the station, the fare will be applied according to the JR fare system, so we would like to start from April at the earliest.
In the future, the two companies will apply to the national government with the aim of approving the special law of the Antimonopoly Act, which was enforced in the future, so that even if the fare etc. are adjusted between businesses, the two companies will not touch the law. This is the first time in Japan that an application has been made across industries.