Bus drivers in Istanbul go on brief strike over unpaid dues

ISTANBUL

A total of 1,930 bus drivers operating Istanbul’s private buses staged a brief strike on the morning of May 22, alleging that the Istanbul Municipality had not paid them 6 billion Turkish Liras, which is nearly $154.5 million, in overdue entitlements.

The protest caused significant disruptions to the city’s already strained morning commute, as many of the striking buses did not leave their depots. With only the buses of İETT, Istanbul's public transportation authority, in operation — many of which arrived already full — commuters faced long waits at stops throughout the city. Some turned to taxis or alternative transit options like metros or metrobuses to reach their destinations.

The action came to an end in a few hours after negotiations between municipality officials and the drivers resulted in an agreement on a payment schedule.

The privately operated public bus system is fully integrated into Istanbul’s public transport network. These buses work under the “Private Transport Operation System” (ÖTİS), introduced in 2020. Under this model, the municipality covers all operational costs and provides guaranteed revenue based on kilometers and the number of trips.

Istanbul’s full public bus fleet includes 6,786 vehicles — 3,766 owned by İETT and 3,020 classified as private buses. Together, they run 64,000 daily trips and transport around 5 million passengers.

According to the municipality, between December 2020 and April 2025, they paid 35.3 billion liras to these private operators, despite the revenue from fares totaling only 15.8 billion liras. The municipality stated it provided an additional 19.5 billion liras in financial support during this period, including 1.3 billion liras in vehicle renewable subsidies for 2024 alone.

In a statement, the municipality emphasized its commitment to resolving the dispute and maintaining transit continuity. Payments to private bus operators will resume as of June 1 under a revised plan. Authorities have also announced they are preparing further reforms to the system to avoid future disruptions.