FY2026 Mutsu City Public Transport Driver Recruitment Support Subsidy

①Overview: The FY2026 Mutsu City Public Transport Driver Recruitment Support Subsidy partially funds, within budget, the cost incurred by public transport operators serving routes within Mutsu for securing drivers, to maintain a sustainable public transport network. ②Eligible applicants: Operators that satisfy both: (1) have a route or service area in the city and are currently running services as a public transport operator, (2) are not managed by or associated with organized-crime members. "Public transport operator" means an operator of general passenger automobile transport business per Road Transport Act Article 3(1) (excluding welfare-transport-only licensees) who is licensed by the Minister of MLIT under Article 4. "Employee" means a person employed by a public transport operator who, after obtaining a Class 2 driver's license, engages in driving route bus, charter bus, taxi, or hire-car services within the city. ③Eligible expenses & benefit content: Two eligible projects: (1) Class 2 license acquisition support — admission fee, aptitude test fee, class-instruction fee, skill-instruction fee, effect-measurement fee, materials fee, photo fee, examination fee, lodging-licensing fee, provisional license test/issue fee, skill test fee, license test/issue fee, transport (route bus/train), and other costs approved by the mayor; (2) Driver recruitment activity promotion — recruitment magazine/site posting fees and other costs approved by the mayor. Consumption tax excluded. Combined subsidy with national/prefectural subsidies cannot exceed total eligible cost. Subsidy period 2026-04-01 to 2027-02-28. ④Rate, ceiling, schedule, application pointers: (1) Class 2 license support: up to 1/2 of total eligible cost (round down to nearest JPY 1,000); (2) Recruitment promotion: up to 1/2 of total eligible cost (round down) or JPY 300,000 — whichever lower. Application deadline 2027-02-28. Submit Form 1/2 (Application), license copy, eligible cost documents, employment proof (license support), Form 3 (Pledge), other-subsidy details if applicable, etc. The Article 12 implementation report is replaced by this filing. If the subsidized driver leaves within 1 year of subsidy confirmation, the relevant subsidy must be returned (unless the mayor recognizes special circumstances). Operators should aim to keep covered drivers on city routes for 1 year from grant decision. Accounting records must be kept for 5 years from year-end of receipt.