Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Life
  • Health
  • Environment
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion
  • Science
  • Religion
  • History
  • Feature
  • Expat Corner

Turkish coder refurbishes US-style school bus to drive to Nepal

by Ihlas News Agency (IHA)

SAMSUN, Turkey Nov 03, 2021 - 5:16 pm GMT+3
Kadir Mert, 30, stands in front of his refurbished U.S.-style school bus, Samsun, northwestern Turkey, Nov. 11, 2021. (IHA Photo)
Kadir Mert, 30, stands in front of his refurbished U.S.-style school bus, Samsun, northwestern Turkey, Nov. 11, 2021. (IHA Photo)
by Ihlas News Agency (IHA) Nov 03, 2021 5:16 pm

Kadir Mert, a 30-year-old software coder and traveler in Samsun, was so impressed by a movie he watched, he had a United States-style "school bus" rebuilt for himself, costing TL 600,000 ($61,850) in total. Kadir Mert's current dream is to drive all the way to Nepal from Turkey in the school bus.

A view of the front of Kadir Mert's refurbished U.S.-style school bus, Samsun, northwestern Turkey, Nov. 11, 2021. (IHA Photo)
A view of the front of Kadir Mert's refurbished U.S.-style school bus, Samsun, northwestern Turkey, Nov. 11, 2021. (IHA Photo)

After buying the bus of his dreams from a secondhand car dealer with the money he saved over 15 years and turning the inside of the bus into a caravan, he plans to travel abroad. Mert, who was influenced by the yellow-colored bus in the movie "Doctor Strange," almost replicated the bus from the movie, spending TL 600,000 on the vehicle. Mert is set to test his bus, which is planned to be completed in January, in Samsun and different cities around Turkey. After testing the vehicle's durability, Mert will set out for his target Nepal.

A 20-year journey

Mert, providing information on the bus, said: "We all know the school bus from the movies. When I saw it in yellow like this, I said this must be my home. It took about 20 years for this story to happen. I bought this bus in 2021. I brought it to Samsun to have it completely rebuilt. We have been working on it for four months in Samsun.

"When I took the bus to the industrial zone and started visiting the mechanics there, they recognized the bus instantly and were more excited than I was. This excitement made me happy too."

Kadir Mert's refurbished U.S.-style school bus in the workshop, Samsun, northwestern Turkey, Nov. 11, 2021. (IHA Photo)
Kadir Mert's refurbished U.S.-style school bus in the workshop, Samsun, northwestern Turkey, Nov. 11, 2021. (IHA Photo)

He explained that a lot of people want to take photos of the bus and sometimes get in the way of the work, and added that once the work is finished, the bus will be open to visitors in Samsun.

A different view every day

While expressing that the rebuilding process of the bus was exciting, Mert said: "I bought the vehicle for approximately TL 260,000. I tried to rebuild the engine with a budget of TL 50,000. But, it is very difficult to find the parts and mechanics (who understand the bus) in Turkey. That's why the costs were a bit high for the engine. For the body repair and roof, I spent another TL 50,000."

The unfinished interior of the rebuilt school bus, Samsun, northwestern Turkey, Nov. 11, 2021. (IHA Photo)
Kadir Mert

He explained that he spent another TL 250,000 on the living space, batteries, storage and technology in the bus. He reasons that he would have spent the same amount of money to buy and fully furnish a flat. But with a house, "you wake up in the same bed, with the same view every day."

Mert has lived in Nepal before and said the land there makes him as happy as his own village because of the sincerity of the people there.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Nov 03, 2021 6:20 pm
    KEYWORDS
    road tripping bus nepal
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Istanbul unleashed: Meet Boji the commuting canine
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021