Taxi tension between Murat Ongun and MARTI CEO Öktem: 'It won't give opportunities to the cunning'

The taxi issue was on the agenda at the Transportation Coordination Center (UKOME) meeting held in Istanbul today. The proposal prepared for increasing the number of taxis and a new taxi system was accepted at the meeting.

The Ministry of Transport also supported the move, with Minister of Transport Abdulkadir Uraloğlu tweeting yesterday: "As the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, we will approve the Application-Based Taxi Transportation System to resolve the taxi problem that has been the subject of complaints from our citizens living in Istanbul.

We hereby inform the public that, as the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and its affiliated institutions, which have the right to vote, we will provide a favorable opinion regarding the proposal on the agenda for tomorrow's UKOME meeting concerning the establishment of the new taxi system, which will start with 2,500 vehicles." he announced that they would say yes to the IMM's proposal.

İMAMOĞLU ANNOUNCED THE DECISION

Following the UKOME meeting, IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu announced the decision on his social media account, saying, "Best of luck to Istanbul for the 2,500 new taxis." İmamoğlu said, "With the Application-Based Taxi System, we are transitioning to a modern, safe, accessible, auditable, transparent, and technological taxi system. Thanks to all the components that supported this proposal at UKOME after long efforts."

STRIKING CLAIMS FROM MARTI

On the other hand, the decision to introduce 2,500 new taxis in Istanbul sparked a reaction from MARTI CEO Oğuz Alper Öktem, who has long been fighting for ride-sharing and has submitted proposals to the IMM regarding this.

Quoting the Minister of Transport's tweet, Öktem reacted: "Mr. Minister, how did you get involved in the IMM's problematic solution proposal? Is the Ministry of Transport working to support the IMM's wrongdoings? This will further exacerbate the taxi cancer in Istanbul. If the solution were to increase the number of taxis, 190 countries in the world would not prefer ride-sharing, they would just issue more plates."

Öktem later made another post, stating: "The Ministry of Transport's 5-year stubbornness is over. The IMM won. The citizens lost. Today, the IMM's illegal tender for 2,500 new 'taxis for apps only', which will further victimize Istanbulites, is being approved.

They say the solution to a germ entering the body is more germs. They claim the taxi problem will be solved with more rent-seeking. Pity my country, what a pity. Buğra Gökçe and Gürkan Akgün are officially handing over Istanbul for rent to Nazım Salur, the owner of BiTaksi, who faces dozens of allegations of irregularity. Our struggle is just beginning."

The IMM and the ministry reached an agreement to solve Istanbul's taxi problem. 2,500 more taxis are entering service. The IMM and the ministry reached an agreement to solve Istanbul's taxi problem. 2,500 more taxis are entering service. Agenda

 MURAT ONGUN'S 'NO OPPORTUNITY' OUTBURST

Ekrem İmamoğlu's advisor Murat Ongun joined the fray following Oğuz Alper Öktem's reaction and accusations regarding the IMM's 2,500-taxi decision, responding to Öktem without naming him.

In his tweet, Ongun said: "We kindly request that no credence be given to individuals providing misleading information to the public regarding the 2,500 new Application-Based Taxis. As of now, there are not 1, but 3 companies that have met the licensing requirements and received licenses. There are 3 more companies that have applied and are in the evaluation stage. Note: The IMM does not do 'favors' for any person or organization. It also does not give opportunities to 'cunning people' who want 'favors' done for them."

NO DELAY IN ÖKTEM'S RESPONSE TO ONGUN

Oğuz Alper Öktem responded to Murat Ongun via social media and stated the following:

Mr. Murat Ongun, I am writing here because you have closed your tweet to comments. The IMM has still not responded to the license application Martı made in November 2023. The document showing that our paperwork is complete is attached. There are 3 licensed players:

1- BiTaksi. The undisputed ruler of the market. Its market share is over 80%. It has already been downloaded to 25 million phones. It has 12 years of data. A total of 200 million trips have been made to date. In the 'two-sided marketplace' business model of taxi hailing, this means an unbreakable advantage. You know this very well too.

2- Uber. An already expelled foreign company. Its market share is not growing and it is not making any serious investment in the market.

3- Taksim. A new company. Total daily trips are 1,000. It might need 5 years and 70 million dollars to approach BiTaksi. IF THIS IS NOT AN EFFORT TO GIVE ISTANBUL'S TAXI TRANSPORTATION TO A SINGLE COMPANY AND MAKE IT A MONOPOLY, THEN WHAT IS IT? We are listed on the same stock exchange as Uber. We are subject to the exact same global audits. We cannot get a license, but the company of Nazım Salur, who has dozens of allegations of irregularity against him, has received the license. In fact, the existing three licensed players did not have the ISO9001 and ISO27001 certificates required by IMM regulations; for this reason, they were granted time extensions with UKOME decisions. We, on the other hand, had these two certificates and all our other documents complete even at the time of application.