Bus Service for People with Disabilities to Be Discontinued Due to Driver Shortage

From The Yomiuri Shimbun

October 13 2025

SAITAMA – The prefectural government has decided to discontinue operation of the Oozora-go, a lift-equipped bus available for use by groups including people with disabilities, at the end of this fiscal year. The decision was made due to difficulties in securing drivers and the growing number of lift-equipped buses now operated by private companies. However, disability organizations have voiced regret over the loss of the service.

The Oozora-go is a 40-seat bus available to groups within the prefecture, including those consisting of people with disabilities. It is equipped with a lift, allowing passengers to board and disembark while remaining in their wheelchairs. Since the launch of the first Oozora-go in 1973, Musashino Bank (based in Ōmiya Ward, Saitama City) has donated successive generations of the bus to the prefecture as part of its social contribution activities.

Use of the bus required advance reservation and was popular for group trips and training programs organized by disability associations. The prefecture covered personnel and fuel costs, while users only paid actual expenses such as highway tolls and parking fees. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the bus operated about 170 days per year, serving between 3,000 and 5,000 people annually.

However, in fiscal 2024, the prefecture was unable to secure sufficient drivers, and the bus operated only 60 days—less than half the number of the previous year. In May, the prefecture decided to end the service at the close of the fiscal year, citing the continued difficulty of finding drivers and the increasing availability of lift-equipped charter buses offered by private operators. All remaining reservations are already filled, and no new bookings are being accepted.

Because the Oozora-go had long served as essential transportation for people with disabilities, many involved have expressed disappointment. Kazumasa Matsuyama, 67, executive director of the Prefectural Association for the Welfare of Physically Disabled Persons, said, “Going out on the Oozora-go gave people with disabilities opportunities to participate in society. We were truly grateful for it,” calling on the prefecture to implement alternative measures.

For example, in Tokyo, when lift-equipped charter buses are used for disability-friendly tours, the metropolitan government provides subsidies of up to 50,000 yen per bus to travel agencies.

During the September regular session of the prefectural assembly, numerous related questions were raised about the discontinuation of the Oozora-go. In a general inquiry session on September 1, Governor Ōno stated, “At present, no contractor has been found who can continue the Oozora-go service. The prefecture will continue to consider necessary measures from multiple perspectives, taking into account users’ opinions and changes in the social environment.”