Complaints soar as İstanbul taxi drivers face criticism for selective service

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For years in İstanbul, complaints have been pouring in from frustrated individuals unable to find taxis for various reasons, and the data reflects these concerns.

Since the start of this year, the primary complaint against taxi drivers has been their selective approach to passengers and routes, according to the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) figures. Criticisms have centered around drivers' reluctance to accept short-distance rides and their preference for catering to tourists rather than locals.

The data reveals several other recurring issues that are commonly raised in complaints, including traffic rule violations, instances of rude behavior, and complaints of demanding excessive fares.

Currently, there are 45,786 registered drivers serving in 18,773 taxis across İstanbul.

Complaints regarding taxi drivers are lodged through the municipality's 153 Complaint Hotline. The IMM's Public Transportation Services Directorate (TUDES) examines these complaints and takes appropriate action against drivers found to be at fault.

During the first half of this year alone, a staggering 33,878 complaints were made about taxis, with a significant portion (18,079) focused on the issue of selective service. Notably, the highest number of complaints against taxi drivers occurred in May and June.

When asked about the surge in complaints, a spokesperson from the IMM stated, "We take these complaints seriously, and our aim is to ensure fair and satisfactory taxi services for all passengers. We will investigate each complaint thoroughly and take appropriate measures to address the concerns raised."

The breakdown of complaints registered this year:

- Selective service: 18,079

- Traffic rule violations: 3,644

- Overcharging: 3,026

- Rude treatment of passengers: 3,415

- Taking passengers on longer routes: 1,386

- Refusing passengers for short distances: 1,290

- Failure to activate the meter: 712

- Incidents of assault and harassment: 652

- Taxi drivers acting as dolmuş drivers: 385

- Smoking inside the vehicle: 293

- Fraudulent practices: 283

- Cancellation of trips by drivers: 246

(AÖ/VK)