9453 Friendly Traveler Project: Innovated Service for Accessible Transportation
Yulon Motor Co., Ltd.
Project Commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
INTRODUCTION
Yulon has been committed to corporate social responsibility for a long time. In recent years, Yulon has realized that Taiwan will soon enter a super-aged society by 2025, which means that the demographic of over 65-year-olds will exceed 20% of the domestic population. More attention will need to be paid to the issue of vehicles for all ages and the need for accessible transportation.To solve this problem, starting in 2016, Yulon’s self-owned brand, Luxgen, began to independently develop accessible welfare vehicles to provide the disabled with freedom of mobility. Yulon in cooperation with its partner, OurCityLove Social Enterprise, established a friendly, integrated transportation information platform and provided innovative services for accessible transportation.
Thus, began the “9453 Friendly Traveler Project: Innovated Service for Accessible Transportation” (9453 is the homonym of friendly in Taiwanese). Its focus is on providing convenient, friendly, and mobile support for the elderly and the disabled.
FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGY
The project idea is based on the development of friendly transportation and a friendly, integrated transportation information platform that connects attractions, venues, and cities while providing travel activities such as tourism, life companionship, and respite services. Yulon cooperates with both non-governmental organizations and the government to jointly introduce innovative services for accessible transportation.In 2016, Yulon launched the first accessible vehicle, V7, developed and manufactured in Taiwan. Starting in 2017, the company began to promote the “9453 Friendly Traveler Project”, and in 2021, completed the development of the “Chiayi City Friendly Life Information Platform” together with the Chiayi City Government. These integrated innovative services of application hardware and software. The website was established to provide friendly and accessible travel information for free. Yulon also launched a series of filial piety trips within the company and has subsidized employees to travel with elders and family members with disabilities from 2017 to 2023.
ACHIEVEMENT AND IMPACT
Yulon has invested more than NTD4.8 million and the cumulative number of participants in the program has exceeded eight hundred people. The project has three major achievements so far.First, 37 groups and 456 individuals with disabilities participated in the training to construct user-friendly information. All of it is accessible on the “9453 Friendly Travelers website”. Using the information, Yulon also published and sold travel magazines, creating more than 5 million donations to welfare organizations.
Secondly, by utilizing government resources, Yulon assisted the Chiayi City Government to cultivate 21 commissioners with disabilities. These commissioners visited 126 friendly stores and 42 accessible attractions to conduct friendliness tests and complete the construction of the “Chiayi City Friendly Life Information Platform” for free information on accessible transportation, food, accommodation, and attractions.
Finally, since 2017, so far 21 sessions of synergistic initiatives within the company have been held. These activities come in the form of a series of elderly tours within the Yulon group, these public welfare charity trips were organized as a sign of filial piety and respect.
FUTURE DIRECTION
Yulon will continue to plan and promote activities related to this project in the future. The company hopes that through the popularization of its friendly, integrated transportation information platform and the improvement of its software and hardware, NGO groups and government departments can continue to design more socially friendly services and create a friendly city and tourism environment. Yulon also desires further assistance for the elderly and the disabled to step out the door physically and mentally to truly enjoy the freedom of mobility. With this “9453 Friendly Traveler Project: Innovated Service for Accessible Transportation”, Yulon will build the bridge to happiness with Love and Accessibility.
Founded in 1953, Yulon Motor Co., Ltd. (Yulon) is the first
auto-manufacturing company in Taiwan, committed to developing
its R&D capability, and has successfully launched its self-owned
brand, Luxgen, in 2009. The company has devoted efforts to the
development of green energy vehicles and has contributed to
developing a sustainable society.
