İzmir Metropolitan Municipality has added 23 new buses to the fleet of ESHOT General Directorate, the main carrier of the integrated public transport network. Mayor Tunç Soyer, speaking at the ceremony, said, "We have started the necessary efforts for a free transfer system for 120 minutes, instead of 90 minutes, in public transport. People of İzmir will now be able to travel free of charge for 120 minutes with a single boarding fee." Soyer said that loan negotiations with İller Bank for the purchase of 100 electrical buses are about to be finalized.

In line with İzmir Metropolitan Municipality's goal of providing a safe, comfortable, accessible, environmentally friendly and affordable public transport network to all parts of the city, 23 new buses have been added to the fleet of ESHOT General Directorate. A ceremony was organized in Gündoğdu Square for the presentation of the buses, which saved approximately 75 million TRY in total. İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer, former İzmir Deputy of CHP Kani Beko, Gaziemir Mayor Halil Arda, İzmir Village-Coop Union President Neptün Soyer, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Barış Karcı, ESHOT General Manager Erhan Bey and many citizens attended the ceremony. 
 
"They said you can't do it, but we did it"
Mayor Tunç Soyer started his speech by saying, "In 2019, we made a promise on this road we set out by saying İzmir with Love. The 100th year of our Republic will be a milestone for İzmir... We said that we will solve the transportation problem of our city from the root. After 5 years, we are rightfully feeling the pride of fulfilling our promise."    

Stating that they have taken steps to solve the city's transport problem from the root and that they have fulfilled it properly, Mayor Tunç Soyer said, "What have we not achieved in 5 years together? In such a period when the economic crisis was at its peak, we brought the biggest investments in the history of İzmir to our city. We completed our rail system investments one by one despite all the obstacles the central government put in front of us. They said, 'you cannot find money', we found it. They said, 'you cannot do it', we did it. Because we have a promise to the people in this city who love democracy and love the Republic. We are in love with this city."        
"We have realized our investments despite all the difficulties"
Mentioning that they started and completed the Çiğli Tramway with the municipality's own resources, Mayor Soyer shared the following about transport investments: "We have completed the Narlıdere Metro, which we bought with 12 per cent. We put our line, which brings a breath of fresh air to urban transport, into the service of our citizens on February 24. We have completed our preliminary works on Otogar-Kemalpaşa, Gaziemir-Karabağlar-Halkapınar metro lines and Karşıyaka-Örnekköy Tram Line.   You remember the words of the Party member President of Türkiye in Hatay, a province that has lost tens of thousands of lives, a short while ago: ‘No service for those who are not from us’. In this city, we have destroyed this promise in 5 years. We realized our giant investments despite this mentality that takes 40 from İzmir and gives 1. In every step of our investments, there is the sweat of the people, not the palace. There is the power of İzmir, which does not bow down to anyone, does not bind hands in front of anyone, has a clean forehead and upright head. There is the heart of Mustafa Kemal's children.”


The final step for the purchase of 100 electric buses has been reached
Stating that the promise of 500 buses, which he promised when he came to office, was realized at a record rate of 140 percent, Mayor Tunç Soyer said, "We have brought 692 new buses to the fleet of ESHOT General Directorate with extremely favorable payment terms. Moreover, we received 364 of them at once. I have another good news for you about bus purchases. Our loan negotiations with İller Bank for the purchase of 100 electric buses have reached the final step. In addition, we have prepared our specifications for the purchase of 200 more nature-compatible buses with Euro 6 Exhaust Emission System. We are getting closer to our ultimate goal of Zero Emission Public Transport model every day." 

Single fare system is introduced for 120 minutes in public transportation
Emphasizing that for 5 years he focused not on solutions that save the day, but on rational works that will save the future, Mayor Tunç Soyer said "I wanted to do it once, and I wanted to do it completely. I wanted to rebuild this city starting from the bottom. I wanted 50 years of problems to be buried in history. In the last 5 years, we have worked hard to make your life easier in every sense. İzmir's money remained in the pockets of the people of İzmir. I have another good news today. We have started the necessary work for a free transfer system in public transport for 120 minutes, not 90 minutes. People of İzmir will now be able to travel free of charge for 120 minutes with a single boarding fee."          The decision will be implemented in March after it is accepted by the Transport Coordination Centre (UKOME). 
Explaining that they are working on making public transport completely free in İzmir, Soyer said, "We had completed our long preparations on this issue, which will be an example for all of Türkiye. We do not know what time will show... Maybe it will be possible, we will do that too."   
"I am proud of keeping 87 percent of my promises"

Stating that the offices they hold do not belong to them but to the citizens of this country, Mayor Soyer said, "As our forefather said, 'Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation. During my term of office, we lived through the most shocking and challenging 5 years not only in the history of our country but also in the history of the world. Despite the pandemic and all economic difficulties, as İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, we have not taken a step back from our promises to you. We worked with great determination. Despite the large-scale cuts and obstacles made by the central administration in local government shares, we continued our investments in all areas. I am proud to say that every year we spent about 40 per cent of our budget on investments.  I believe that I am the only Metropolitan Mayor of this period who transparently announced the success rate of his election promises and turned them into a written book. That's why I'm so relieved. I am very fortunate and proud to have realized 87 per cent of my promises. The sincere interest, love and support of the people of İzmir is the greatest pride and happiness. I say it with all my heart, this honor is enough for me and my children. Don't give up hope. Never, ever be pessimistic. We have a long way to walk together. I will serve for this country, for İzmir until my last breath. I will continue to do this without buttering anybody's bread, without letting these lands fall into the hands of rent-seeking gangs. Our foreheads are clean, our heads are upright. We achieved everything together. This pride belongs to İzmir. Please give me your blessings." 
State-of-the-art buses

The buses, which are environmentally friendly with Euro 6 Exhaust Emission System and disabled-friendly with their low floors, also stand out with their new technological features. Equipped with exterior cameras on all four sides as well as interior cameras, and with fabricated interior and exterior sound systems, the vehicles will increase passenger and traffic safety with blind spot warning, anti-collision and fuel saving systems, while significantly reducing fuel costs. There will also be bicycle carrying apparatus in the vehicles. The vehicles, which are also suitable for the Telemetry System that allows remote monitoring, will provide instantaneous flow of 145 different data with the installation of additional equipment to be made in ESHOT workshops. Thus, driving and service performance, technical monitoring of the vehicle, and the functioning of parts can be monitored. Thanks to the data; personnel trainings and repair-maintenance preliminary determinations can be made. This will also contribute to efficiency, passenger and traffic safety.

Otokar and Mercedes branded solo buses will be used to meet the increasing transport needs of new and expanding settlements in the city center, especially in Bayraklı and Buca.