On May 8, the Toyota Mobility Foundation announced the launch of an on-demand shuttle bus service for healthcare workers involved in the treatment and diagnosis of coronavirus disease in Manila, Philippines, effective the same day.

The on-demand shuttle bus service announced this time will run for three months. A similar service has been operating in Bangkok, Thailand since mid-April, and this initiative utilizes that shuttle bus operation system.

This project, supported by Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. and Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing Co., Ltd., targets healthcare workers at the Philippine General Hospital, one of the largest public hospitals in the Philippines. It aims to reduce commuting burdens and prevent infections by operating ten hygienic shuttle buses on-demand.

Commuters specify their nearest boarding and alighting locations and desired pick-up times via a mobile app. Seats are then reserved on the shuttle bus, which selects an optimal route based on requests from multiple users.

The buses are equipped with air purifiers, and hygiene is maintained through regular seat cover changes and frequent cleaning. Operations adhere to guidelines, including limiting the number of passengers per vehicle.

Since its establishment in August 2014, the Foundation has been addressing challenges in the global mobility sector. Its initiatives include promoting diverse transportation options in Thailand, Vietnam, India, and Brazil; supporting projects to resolve mobility issues in Japan's rural areas; organizing idea contests to foster the development of assistive devices for people with disabilities; funding hydrogen research; and collaborating on research to optimize traffic flow using artificial intelligence, all with the aim of contributing to the realization of an enriched mobility society and the resolution of mobility disparities.