New proposals approved to improve taxi service in Istanbul

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Transportation Coordination Center (UKOME) has approved a new transformative proposal aimed at addressing the long-standing issue with taxi service problems in Istanbul, marking a significant step towards improving the taxi service throughout the city.

73% increase in total number of taxis

Terms of the proposal include a 73% increase in the total number of taxis operating in the city of Istanbul. Istanbul currently has approximately 18,395 registered taxis, amounting to around one taxi for every 861 residents.

Under the new legislation, this will improve to around 31,815 total taxis, amounting to one taxi for every 500 residents and in line with major global cities such as London, Paris, and Mexico City.

A new taxi system

The terms of the proposal also include a new taxi system, known as the Application-Based Taxi Transportation System (Uygulama Tabanlı Taksi Taşımacılığı Sistemi). Starting with 2,500 vehicles, the system is aimed at improving service quality and addressing the negative public perception of taxis in Istanbul.

Taxis in this system will have a new design and include a security partition for safety. Passengers will be able to request these taxis via mobile apps or at designated taxi stands in important locations throughout the city.

Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said: "We hope this step will be beneficial for our city in solving the taxi problem."

Stricter regulations for taxi licenses

Other legislations include new stricter regulations for taxi licenses. Taxi licenses will now be issued for five years and drivers will need to meet specific conditions in order for licenses to be renewed. Taxi operators will also be required to join licensed mobile apps.

Ekrem Imamoğlu, Mayor of Istanbul, expressed optimism at the coming changes, saying: "We are close to increasing the number of taxis and implementing the new taxi system as a result of our collaborative efforts with all stakeholders."

The proposed changes signal a new era in Istanbul’s taxi services, meeting the growing demand for transportation needs of the city’s residents whilst also providing safer, enhanced efficiency, and an improved service for passengers.