Türkiye
Economy
Opinion
World
Arts & Life
Sports
Photo
Hundreds of Uber cars seized in Istanbul in police crackdown
Hundreds of Uber cars seized in Istanbul in police crackdown
Hundreds of cars operated by ride-sharing app Uber’s drivers have been seized in Istanbul in the latest police crackdown. Click through for the story in photos...
Demirören News Agency reported Jan. 15 that some 400 Uber cars were halted and seized by the police for illegal taxi operations on New Year’s Eve. Many more were towed in the following weeks.
Licensed Transporters’ Association chair Metin Magriso told the agency that there are some 7,000 VIP vehicles working for Uber in Istanbul despite the ongoing lack of a legal framework.
Parliament Speaker Binali Yıldırım had said on Jan. 7 that the issue “can be reviewed if required adjustments are made.”
After a series of violent attacks by taxi drivers on Uber drivers, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had intervened in June, heralding an end to Uber in Turkey. “That business is now over. There is no such thing anymore,” he had said.
Then a prime minister, Yıldırım had also supported taxi drivers, saying that the Uber dispute was “finished” and it is the government’s duty to remove the ride-sharing app’s network. Since then, the number of Uber cars in Istanbul has significantly decreased as authorities have begun to issue hefty fines both to drivers and passengers.
Uber drivers in Istanbul had sent a message to Turkish authorities using over 100 vehicles last year.
As a ban on the ride-sharing service remains in effect throughout Turkey, Uber drivers came together on social media on Oct. 31.
The Uber drivers met in Istanbul's Bakırköy district and went to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s local headquarters.
Afterwards, more than 100 Uber vehicles went to the Northern Marmara Highway and flew a drone to photograph their choreography, which read “Mr. President, the people want Uber.”
The aerial photo was shared on social media and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak were tagged.
The Uber drivers told journalists that the municipality refused to issue them the required travel documents despite a court order.
The move came after a series of violent attacks by taxi drivers on Uber drivers.
Meanwhile, customer complaints against taxi drivers, especially in Istanbul, skyrocketed, which also triggered stiffer police checks targeting the taxis, too.
“We have filed lawsuits and most of them are proceeding, but hundreds of Uber vehicles that were recently seized by authorities are just being damaged as they wait in police parking lots. They seize some 30-40 Uber cars every day in Istanbul and we get back around the same number of cars through court rulings,” Magriso said, calling for an urgent solution. “Approximately 100,000 people earn their livings through Uber and they issue official e-invoices. We believe that the authorities will not ignore so many people,” he added.
ALL PHOTOS
Global South needs $2 trillion a year to tame, cope with climate
Winter arrives in Turkey as snowfall hits metropolises
Kütahya province welcomes winter with snowfall
Ancient Dara captivates tourists
Ancient Patara lures visitors
Enchanting sunset scenery from 'Little Venice'
Blanket of snow covers renowned crater lake
Frozen Lake Çıldır lures visitors
Postcard-like winter views from Turkey's Bitlis