Residents' Evaluation to Route Bus and Painting Show in Kaga City

抄録

In Japanese rural areas, there are various types of decreasing trends in customer number of public transportation due to the falling birth rate and the aging. Especially, the trend for route bus is of particular note even though it is close to the inhabitants. Reduction of the transportation-fee surplus in bus operating company is continuing and the local government supports it. On the other hand, the number of people who are unable to go shopping will increase more if the bus service could become impossible. The number of people who are unable to visit a clinic will also increase by decreasing the number of the service. It will be difficult to continue the function of community as the workforce decreases due to the acceleration of demographic aging. In this study, the advantages and the rate of utilization of route bus were examined in Yamanaka Spa area which belongs to Kaga City in Japan. The paintings are displayed on the bus and those are painted by kindergartners in the area. Those bestow a healing power on the passengers, especially elderly persons. As a result, most passenger use the bus in the morning and daytime, and the purpose is shopping and hospital (clinic) visit. About 50 % of passengers are taking the bus once weekly and over. The passenger of 86 % evaluated the painting show as "Good". It became obvious that the painting show played a part to create good ambience for the passengers. Most workers use own private vehicle because the last bus closes between 7 and 8 p.m. in the area.