Turkish municipalities invest in sustainable transport and new fare systems

Turkish municipalities and automotive companies are advancing sustainable transport and infrastructure. In Istanbul, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) has launched a 25 billion lira investment to introduce 650 new domestic vehicles to the IETT fleet, including 400 buses, 100 metrobuses, 50 electric buses, and 100 articulated vehicles. This initiative is part of a larger 100 billion lira plan to add 2,000 new vehicles to the city's network.

Simultaneously, Istanbul is preparing to transition its metro and tram systems from a fixed-fare model to a distance-based pricing system. Infrastructure work is underway to install refund machines at stations, allowing passengers to receive fare differences for shorter trips, similar to the existing metrobüs system. This proposal is expected to be presented to the Transportation Coordination Center (UKOME).

In Izmir, the Metropolitan Municipality reported significant economic benefits from its fleet of 100 electric vehicles. After traveling 7.5 million kilometers, the fleet achieved an 81 percent reduction in fuel costs, saving approximately 25 million lira. The municipality also established a dedicated electric vehicle maintenance workshop, reducing maintenance expenses by fivefold.

In the automotive sector, HABAŞ introduced the ComfortCity-H2, a hydrogen fuel cell bus developed with Turkish engineering, at the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show. The company operates a highly automated production facility in Manisa with an annual capacity of 15,000 vehicles.