Public buses with 'panic buttons' hit Istanbul streets

Public buses with new panic buttons hit Istanbul's on Thursday.

The Istanbul Electric Tram and Tunnel Company (IETT), the city's public bus authority, introduced the buses at a news conference.

Hasan Çelikdelen, head of IETT's IT department, said when a person hit the button, it would generate a signal that the company's control center would receive.

"After that, our center will begin to receive live footage from four cameras within the bus. Photographs taken by these security cameras will reach our servers," Çelikdelen said.

The IETT center would alert the security forces and a company official would arrive on the scene.


For now, panic buttons will be available on the Metrobus-a transport network which operates in exclusive lanes for the majority of its route.

Çelikdelen said following the government's step to make panic buttons obligatory, the company will add this feature to other public buses.

Serving more than 14 million inhabitants, public transport in Istanbul makes up 30 percent of the city's total daily transportation.

Abdullah Öztürk, one commuter on a bus with the new panic button, said the button would be important in cases of theft and harassment.

Feride Keleş, another commuter, said she was happy with the new feature, saying it would deter unwanted attention.