City taxis to become safer with new project
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolian Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 09, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - Taxis in Turkey are to be fitted with security cabins. According to a project of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, there will bulletproof glass separating passengers from drivers to ensure the safety of cabbies. Customers will sit in the backseat and will pay through an opening.
In Turkey, taxis are one of the most commonly used modes of transport. They are relatively cheap compared to most European cities, but apart from their distinctive yellow paintwork, there is little other uniformity between the hordes of city cabs.
Industry and Trade Minister Zafer Çağlayan said a new project for Turkey’s taxis would be launched within two years. The total number of taxis in Turkey is about 72,000 and the project envisions fitting them all with security cabins to protect drivers.
According to Çağlayan, taxi drivers are being killed for as little as 60 or 70 Turkish liras, "They do not have safety," he said.
Of the 72,000 cabs in the country, 50 percent operate in Istanbul, Antalya, Ankara and İzmir alone.
Final decision
Çağlayan said they did not foresee any ad hoc excise tax or value added tax for taxis and they would present the project to the Economic Social Council and the ministry of finance for a final decision.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has completed its studies into the problems that exist in the industry and ways to solve them.
Cooperating with the Turkish Confederation of Traders and Craftsmen, or TESK, the ministry has prepared a plan, "Traders, change and transform support action plan." The plan includes an article on introducing security measures, separating drivers from passengers with bulletproof glass.
"Just like in Europe, customers sit in the backseat and there will be an opening for customers to pay," Çağlayan said. The high security cabs will be produced in Turkey. Çağlayan said the project aimed at providing drivers with safety and reviving the automotive industry.
Çağlayan said he would meet with the minister of finance because of the new tax arrangement.
The new taxis will have to meet certain standards and in addition to technical details, the companies producing the taxis will be able to decide on the interior and exterior design of the cars. The Ministry of Industry and Trade will not decide on the design details.
Supporting the project
"The preparation step has been completed. The banks are ready to open credit, KOSGEB (Small and Medium Scale Industry Development Organization), is ready to support the project," Çağlayan said. Tradesmen and Artisans Credit and Security Cooperatives Union Central Association of Turkey, or TESKOMB will also contribute to the loaning mechanism.
Çağlayan said all that was left was the final decision as to whether or not to proceed with the project.
According to data from the Entrepreneur Information System, a project that studies regional and industrial output, during October and November 2008, the manufacturing industry experienced a 2 percent drop in employment.
"The number of unemployed people reached 170,680 and only 60,000 found other jobs. So the unemployment number is now 111,739. From this total, 48,000 were working in the manufacturing industry. Most unemployed people were working in tobacco production. Mining and vehicle production followed in job losses.
Industry and Trade Minister Zafer Çağlayan said a new project for Turkey’s taxis would be launched within two years. The total number of taxis in Turkey is about 72,000 and the project envisions fitting them all with security cabins to protect drivers.
According to Çağlayan, taxi drivers are being killed for as little as 60 or 70 Turkish liras, "They do not have safety," he said.
Of the 72,000 cabs in the country, 50 percent operate in Istanbul, Antalya, Ankara and İzmir alone.
Final decision
Çağlayan said they did not foresee any ad hoc excise tax or value added tax for taxis and they would present the project to the Economic Social Council and the ministry of finance for a final decision.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has completed its studies into the problems that exist in the industry and ways to solve them.
Cooperating with the Turkish Confederation of Traders and Craftsmen, or TESK, the ministry has prepared a plan, "Traders, change and transform support action plan." The plan includes an article on introducing security measures, separating drivers from passengers with bulletproof glass.
"Just like in Europe, customers sit in the backseat and there will be an opening for customers to pay," Çağlayan said. The high security cabs will be produced in Turkey. Çağlayan said the project aimed at providing drivers with safety and reviving the automotive industry.
Çağlayan said he would meet with the minister of finance because of the new tax arrangement.
The new taxis will have to meet certain standards and in addition to technical details, the companies producing the taxis will be able to decide on the interior and exterior design of the cars. The Ministry of Industry and Trade will not decide on the design details.
Supporting the project
"The preparation step has been completed. The banks are ready to open credit, KOSGEB (Small and Medium Scale Industry Development Organization), is ready to support the project," Çağlayan said. Tradesmen and Artisans Credit and Security Cooperatives Union Central Association of Turkey, or TESKOMB will also contribute to the loaning mechanism.
Çağlayan said all that was left was the final decision as to whether or not to proceed with the project.
According to data from the Entrepreneur Information System, a project that studies regional and industrial output, during October and November 2008, the manufacturing industry experienced a 2 percent drop in employment.
"The number of unemployed people reached 170,680 and only 60,000 found other jobs. So the unemployment number is now 111,739. From this total, 48,000 were working in the manufacturing industry. Most unemployed people were working in tobacco production. Mining and vehicle production followed in job losses.