Seino Holdings (HD) began a pilot project called the "Mile One Project" on October 1st, in collaboration with Sumitomo Corporation, Daishinto, REA, and others.
The project aims to implement a sustainable local transportation and logistics model, and this experiment was commissioned by Shimonoseki City. On the same day, a departure ceremony and unveiling of the new community bus were held in Toyoda-cho, Shimonoseki City, with stakeholders and local residents in attendance.
<A new community bus featuring artwork from a local children's club on its exterior>
The "Community Bus" is a combined passenger and cargo bus service that operates on an on-demand basis, with routes and schedules tailored to user reservations. Reservations can be made by phone or through an app, and the bus also offers a service to deliver groceries and other items to customers' homes using available space and time on the vehicle.
It was used by many local residents from the very first day of operation, and the shopping assistance service was immediately put to use.
The demonstration experiment aims to create a sustainable new regional transportation model by building a system that operates efficiently with fewer vehicles and drivers, and by providing integrated services for "resident transportation" and "shopping support logistics."
The project will last six months and, in collaboration with Shimonoseki City University, will measure the effectiveness of the service through system-based data analysis, quantitative and qualitative resident surveys, and individual interviews. The final decision will be whether the service can be established as an indispensable part of residents' lives.
■Operation overview
Operation period: From October 1, 2025 (Trial experiment: 6 months)
Service area: Entire Toyoda-cho, Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture (population approximately 4500)
Operating hours: 8:15 AM - 16:15 PM (Monday - Saturday)
Fare: Adults 100 yen, Children 50 yen
Vehicles: 2 Hiace vans, 1 Serena
Delivery frequency: Twice a day (maximum 24 items/day)
