Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tahir Büyükakın introduced the 27 new buses to be used between İzmit and Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Büyükakın said that they will continue to add value to transportation services.
FOR COMFORTABLE AND SAFE TRANSPORTATION
Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tahir Büyükakın introduced the 27 new buses added to the fleet to be used between İzmit and Sabiha Gökçen Airport. The metropolitan municipality continued to add value to intercity transportation services and added the new buses to its inventory so that citizens can travel comfortably and safely. The program, which took place at the Kocaeli Congress Center parking lot with the participation of Mayor Büyükakın, was also attended by; Kocaeli Governor İlhami Aktaş, AK Party Kocaeli Deputy Prof. Dr. Sadettin Hülagü, AK Party Provincial Chairman Dr. Şahin Talus, Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Dr. Hayri Baraçlı, Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Berna Abiş, Büyük Birlik Party Provincial Coordinator Metehan Küpçü, FSM Demirtaş Automotive Board Chairman Mustafa Demirbaş, political party and NGO representatives.
TOTAL NUMBER OF THE FLEET INCREASED TO 671
Mayor Büyükakın announced that 27 new vehicles and 18 articulated vehicles were presented to the public for the first time with a ceremony. Stating that the total investment budget of the new vehicles was 194 million TL, Büyükakın said, “While the rate of public transportation was around 30 percent in Europe, this rate was 7 percent in Kocaeli. We were struggling to increase this to 16 percent and we are currently moving towards this goal with rapid steps.” Stating that the number of public transportation fleets in Kocaeli had increased to 671, Mayor Büyükakın said that 342 vehicles had been purchased since 2021 and 1 billion 904 million liras had been spent for these investments.
THE NUMBER OF FEMALE DRIVERS IS INCREASING
Stating that the number of female drivers in public transportation should be increased, Mayor Büyükakın said, “We have 3 female bus drivers, we want their number to increase. Women have a very important place in the public transportation sector. We also have 2 female drivers. I believe that as the number of our female drivers increases, quality will also come.”
RAIL SYSTEM INVESTMENTS CONTINUE
Büyükakın, who stated that significant investments were made for the expansion of the rail system, continued as follows: “We have carried out autonomous driving tests of the Metro line under construction in Gebze. As you know, these vehicles are driverless and operate with a remote control. This Metro line, consisting of 11 stations, will contribute to the removal of approximately 55 thousand vehicles from traffic annually. This will make a great contribution to our city in terms of reducing carbon emissions and combating global warming. We prefer our vehicles to operate on natural gas. With the expansion of the rail system, we will hopefully increase the global warming and air quality standards of the city.
THE CAPACITY OF TRAMS WILL BE DOUBLED
Our Northern Metro station, the construction site of which has started right behind us, is also progressing rapidly. If it is all right, we spoke with our minister and we will hold a groundbreaking ceremony there in April. On the one hand, the construction site is being established. It is a very huge project consisting of 18 stations and an investment budget of approximately 100 billion liras. The construction of the Alikahya tram line is also continuing rapidly. We will also carry out the doubling and coupling of our stops. In this way, we will double the carrying capacity of our current tram.”
“ULASIMPARK CARRIED 2024 MILLION PASSENGERS IN 51,7”
Stating that all investments made in transportation will bring significant convenience to the people of the city, Mayor Büyükakın stated that the daily transportation capacity of the public transportation system has increased and that the Transportation Park will carry 2024 million passengers in the rubber-wheeled system in 51,7. Büyükakın stated that with the commissioning of the rail system, the tram line will carry 17 million passengers and that the Metro system will reach a daily passenger carrying capacity of 300 thousand when it is completed.
“IT WAS A GREAT SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR US”
AK Party Kocaeli Deputy Prof. Dr. Sadettin Hülagü said, “This morning, we participated in the autonomous driving trial of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure in Gebze. It was a great source of pride to see that the electrical system has made progress of 75-80 percent in the software engineering field. This point was reached as a result of our President’s determined stance,” and thanked President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tahir Büyükakın and his team for the work done within the scope of the Dip Mud project.
“SERVICES ARE PROVIDED FOR OUR PEOPLE”
Governor İlhami Aktaş said the following: “I hope these vehicles will bring good luck to our city. I wish you accident-free and trouble-free journeys. I believe that traffic congestion will decrease as public transportation increases. In this sense, I would like to thank everyone who contributed. In the morning, we carried out the autonomous test drive that we watched with pride. Today, we are at the ceremony of putting domestic, national and environmentally friendly vehicles into service. Two days ago, we attended the opening ceremony of Hızır 41 and saw once again that the slogan ‘It works when it works’ is not an empty expression. The services determined by our President are being provided for our people. I am proud of being a member of a great state not only as a citizen.” After the speeches, President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tahir Büyükakın sat in the driver’s seat of a bus and toured the area with the protocol members.
COMFORTABLE JOURNEY, SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
On the other hand, the newly purchased 2023 model IVECO Crossway buses offer superior travel comfort with their length of 13 meters and a total capacity of 76 passengers. These vehicles, which offer an ideal option for both short and long-distance journeys with their 56 seats and 20 standing passenger capacity, will provide great convenience especially during rush hours. The 27 modern buses purchased with the Metropolitan Municipality's own resources also draw attention with their contribution to the environment and high performance.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY EURO 6 ENGINE TECHNOLOGY
The Euro 6 environmentally friendly engine technology in the new buses offers not only performance but also an environmentally sensitive approach. These engines, which limit exhaust emissions and minimize air pollution, are designed in accordance with the high environmental standards set by the European Union. In this way, the transportation policy of the Metropolitan Municipality takes an important step in terms of protecting the environment. This investment, which was made to reduce environmental pollution in both urban and intercity transportation, lays the foundations of a sustainable transportation system.
SAFETY AND COMFORT ALL TOGETHER
The new buses of the Metropolitan Municipality provide not only comfort but also safety to their passengers. These vehicles are equipped with high safety standards and are equipped with modern warning systems and driver support technologies. In addition, the buses, which make long journeys more enjoyable with their ergonomically designed seats and spacious interior, promise a comfortable travel experience.
TRANSPORTATION FLEET IS GETTING STRENGTHENED: 671 VEHICLES
On the other hand, Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality continued to strengthen its transportation fleet in 2024 and added 95 new buses to its fleet. In July, a total of 50 new buses were purchased, including 12 31-meter (BMC CNG) and 81 articulated (BMC CNG). With the 50 12-meter (BMC CNG), 31 18-meter (BMC CNG) and 14 12-meter (BMC diesel) buses purchased throughout the year, a total of 95 new buses joined the fleet. With the 27 newly purchased IVECO Crossway buses, the transportation fleet reached a total of 671 vehicles. These important purchases once again demonstrated the municipality's determination to increase quality in transportation and provide environmentally friendly solutions. Providing more comfortable and sustainable transportation services to the people of Kocaeli, these buses were highly appreciated as part of the Metropolitan Municipality's strong vision in the field of transportation. In addition to 27 new buses, articulated vehicles that could not be paraded before were also exhibited at the ceremony.
