Istanbul taxi fare increases 25 pct

ISTANBUL – Demirören News Agency

The average taxi, school bus and minibus fares have been increased significantly at a Transportation Coordination Center (UKOME) meeting on Aug. 27.

“As the transportation community, we were expecting a price hike, an improvement of the tariff for 24 months. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the increase rate we wanted. We are not that happy,” said Istanbul Taxi Drivers Tradesmen’s Association (İTEO) head Eyüp Aksu after the meeting at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

UKOME decided to increase the average taxi fare 25 percent, raising the drop charge from 4 Turkish Liras to 5. The minimum fare was increased from 10 liras to 13, while the fare for one kilometer was hiked from 2.5 liras to 3.1, according to Aksu.

The school bus fares surged 13 percent approximately, raising the shortest distance fare from 215 liras to 243 and the longest distance fare from 525 liras to 580. In addition to the standard fare, parents will have to pay a fee equal to a third of the fare for the attendant of the school bus.

Minibus and dolmuş (shared taxi/minibus) fares were also increased nearly 25 percent. After the fare hike, the minimum dolmuş fare, such as the Beşiktaş-Taksim line, was put at 3.3 liras. 

“Regarding the prices of spare parts and other costs, the fare increase is not satisfactory. But, it is something as we had been expecting a hike for two years,” said taxi driver Murat Gökçe. “We should also consider the people’s conditions,” he added.