New Sea Taxis in Istanbul
A system of sea taxis will be instituted in Istanbul, a great relief to those of us stuck for hours in traffic and crammed into overcrowded buses with someone’s elbow in your eye. But the sea taxi prices are high, making it a facility for the wealthy and for emergencies. What about more ferries, those reliable and comfortable buses of the sea? In the 1980s, there used to be many more ferries plying up and down the Bosphorus carrying commuters. Now there is one early in the morning coming from the Bosphorus downtown, and one in the afternoon returning back up the Bosphorus. Sitting in traffic along the shore road, trying to go that same route in a taxi, I often ask the cab drivers what happened to the ferries. They all tell the same story — that some years ago the municipality bought new buses and in order to pay them off, canceled the ferries. The idea was that bus fares would go to the municipality, while ferry fares go elsewhere.
Those buses must have long been paid off. If the municipality wants to take the pressure off the traffic and improve everyone’s standard of living (not just the rich), it’s time for more ferries!
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment