The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) announced on Wednesday a steep increase in public transportation fares and the Istanbulkart, the city’s electronic mass transit pass that covers every public vehicle, from buses and subways to ferries operating between the two sides of the Bosporus.

IBB decided to increase public transportation fares by 40% at a meeting of the transport watchdog Transportation Coordination Center (UKOME). In line with the decision, which was accepted unanimously, the price to board public vehicles will be raised to TL 7.67 from TL 5.48 as of April 9.

The change also increases base taxi and minibus fares by 40%. The minimum fare for a taxi ride will be TL 28, while "dolmuş" minibuses used to travel short routes and narrow streets with limited bus access will cost TL 5.25 to board.

Eyüp Aksu, head of an association representing the city's taxi drivers, repeated his demand for a hike of at least 50%.

Meanwhile, Can Akın Çağlar, the municipality's secretary-general noted the discussions had at the meeting held two days ago. "Both in terms of the sustainability of public services and in terms of preventing the capital loss of the tradespeople, an agreement was reached on a 40% price adjustment," he said.

"The transportation subsidy of TL 5.5 billion within the budget of IBB, which was TL 43.6 billion at the beginning of the year, has increased to nearly TL 10 billion at the point reached today," said Çağlar, adding that if the cost increases continue at this rate, they will have to spend "almost a third of the budget on cheap transportation of our citizens in Istanbul."

"IBB especially wants to underline that the decision to be taken today is important in terms of ensuring the sustainability of the services of both IBB and the tradespeople and that it includes an obligation," he said.