Transportation services by mutual help of local residents in rural area

In rural areas with poor public transportation systems, regional volunteer groups legally provide transportation services using their vehicles. This study aims to clarify how regional groups are introduced to these services and how they operate by conducting interview surveys with these groups. The study results suggest that their service contents depend on their decisions because of an absent institutional framework and local government participation. The absence of these factors may also cause conflict between regional groups and local transport operators. Furthermore, to overcome a barrier to resident engagement in volunteer work, clarifying where the responsibility lies for traffic accidents associated with volunteering is necessary.