Route buses are facing many issues nationwide, including a decline in ridership and a shortage of drivers. Hiroshima City is working with eight rival companies and the government to try to resolve them.
The initiative is also referred to as the ``Hiroshima model'' because it is carried out jointly by the public and private sectors, which is rare even in Japan. The first demonstration experiment was conducted for one month starting in December 2023. According to the results of a survey of users, more than 60% of people said it was more convenient and efficient.