Taxis offer free ride to Istanbul’s health workers

ISTANBUL-Demirören New Agency

Hundreds of taxis in Istanbul will provide free ride to health care staff, who work at the city’s public hospitals under a scheme coordinated by the governor’s office and the provincial directorate of health.

Some 300 taxies registered with the Istanbul Chamber of Taxi Drivers (İETO) and another 50 vehicles from the Istanbul Airport Taxi Cooperative will transport health care workers for free during curfews.

The free taxi services, which are offered between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. for health workers at 50 public hospitals. commenced yesterday.

Those taxis will pick up the staff from the hospitals.

“We have applied to the governor’s office to offer this service. Our drivers are working voluntarily under this scheme. We will continue with this free ride assistance during the curfews as long as we can,” said Eyüp Aksu, the head of the İETO.

“This is such a considerate approach from the taxi drivers. We were having hard times commuting between work and home on public transport. It would be wonderful if this free ride service remains in place during the lockdowns,” commented Naz Alibaşoğlu, a health care worker.

Moreover, under another arrangement, the taxi app BiTaksi and Master Card Turkey will also provide some 12,500 free trips to health workers starting on May 4.

In order to benefit from the free taxi service, health workers need to obtain a document from the hospital’s chief physician proving that they are on duty.

Taxis will transport health workers between their homes and the city’s 30 hospitals. The free ride scheme covers all health care personnel.