Innovative ITS Solutions in Turkey

This article describes how information technology is being implemented in Turkey’s public transit system in order to improve the passenger experience. In Turkey, the majority of public transportation services are provided by private bus and minibus operators. Municipalities are trying to formulate a business model to reorganize and standardize these private operators with the help of intelligent transportation systems. Turkey has a young and dynamic population, so operators are implementing electronic ticketing systems, both to appeal to these young users and also to reduce fare evasion. To date, more than half of Turkey’s cities have employed electronic ticketing and vehicle tracking systems. Prepaid contactless smart cards are the most popular form of electronic payment. Although contactless dual interface credit cards have been technically successful in public transit applications in Turkish cities, the penetration rate remains very low. Near field communication through mobile phones has not yet been used in public transportation applications in Turkey, but shows promise for the future.