Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
and
Northern Cyprus
Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a ''de facto'' state that comprises the northeastern portion of the Geography of Cyprus, island of Cyprus. It is List of states with limited recognition, recognis ...
, a () is a
share taxi
A share taxi, shared taxi, taxibus, or jitney or dollar van in the US, or marshrutka in former Soviet countries, is a mode of transport which falls between a taxicab and a bus. Share taxis are a form of paratransit. They are vehicles for hire and ...
that runs set routes within and between cities.
Background
The name is derived from
Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
* Something related to Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities in the former Ottoman Empire
* The w ...
for "seemingly stuffed", in reference to how the vehicles were often filled to the brim. At some locations they depart from the terminal only when a sufficient number of passengers have boarded.
In some cities, are only allowed to board and disembark passengers at designated stops or terminals. In less busy locations, passengers may board anywhere along the route. In fact, a with empty seats may slow down to pick up more passengers. In some cities, to prevent extremely slow travel, intermediate stop timings of ''dolmuşlar'' are regulated more like a regular bus on a latest allowable arrival basis.
A foreign passenger described the ride as being "terrifying, awe-inspiring, confusing, incomprehensible, charming, hospitable and alien", and those unfamiliar with them may be surprised by the speed of travel.
In Turkey the vehicles used are often brand-new minibuses, but in some parts of Cyprus – – aging
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to simply as Mercedes and occasionally as Benz, is a German automotive brand that was founded in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group, established in 2019) is based in Stuttgart, ...
stretch limo
Stretch can refer to:
People
*Stretch (surname), a list of people
* Stretch (nickname), a list
Music
*Stretch Records, an independent record label
*Stretch (band), a 1970s UK rock band
*Stretch (rapper) (1968–1995), an American rapper and prod ...
s serving as can still be seen.
Regulations
In Turkey the industry is regulated under an apportionated registration scheme. Despite the meaning of their name, laws prevent these minibuses from becoming too crowded. In İzmir and some other cities, standing passengers are not allowed; in İstanbul and some other cities, they are. In Turkish controlled Northern Cyprus, routes are leased under an apportionated registration scheme and vehicles are licensed.Bus Services in North Cyprus essentialcyprus.com, January 28, 2009
In 2024, the
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (, İBB) is the government agency in charge of the municipal affairs of the Istanbul Province. It is one of the 30 metropolitan municipalities in Turkey.
History
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality ...
started trialing minibuses using a
contactless smart card
A contactless smart card is a contactless credential whose dimensions are credit card size. Its embedded integrated circuits can store (and sometimes process) data and communicate with a terminal via NFC. Commonplace uses include transit ticket ...
system for payment instead of cash.
See also
*
Dollar van
A share taxi, shared taxi, taxibus, or jitney or dollar van in the US, or marshrutka in former Soviet countries, is a mode of transport which falls between a taxicab and a bus. Share taxis are a form of paratransit. They are vehicles for hire a ...
*
Marshrutka
''Marshrutnoye taksi''Nanny van
The nanny van () or school private light bus is a kind of school bus service in Hong Kong. At its peak of popularity during the 1980s, it had become a form of "illegal" public transportation. Subsequently, due to unauthorized use of the vans, th ...
*
Pesero
A pesero, combi, van, micro or microbús is a form of public transport, most commonly seen in Mexico City. Its name derives from the fact that in the beginning of this form of transport a flat fee of one peso was charged per ride (hence the nam ...
*
Public light bus
The public light bus (PLB) or minibus is a public transport service in Hong Kong. It uses minibuses to provide quicker transport and to serve areas that standard Hong Kong bus lines cannot reach as efficiently. The vehicles are colloquially k ...
Hong Kong
*
Share taxi
A share taxi, shared taxi, taxibus, or jitney or dollar van in the US, or marshrutka in former Soviet countries, is a mode of transport which falls between a taxicab and a bus. Share taxis are a form of paratransit. They are vehicles for hire and ...
*
Songthaew
A songthaew (, , ; , ; ) is a passenger vehicle in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar adapted from a pick-up or a larger truck and used as a share taxi or bus.
Overview
The songthaew takes its name from the two bench seats fixed along eith ...