Starting on Friday, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) will offer free rides to mothers with children up to the age of 4 on mass transit. One of the election promises of Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, the move aims to help women’s “social inclusion,” the municipality said in a statement.
Women can apply for the Anne Kart (Mother Card), a free pass used for mass transit online. Each card will be good for 150 rides. Cards can also be used for shopping and taxi rides if users add credit.
The municipality already offers an unlimited free pass to some commuters like journalists, senior citizens, terror victims and some civil servants. According to a recent report by the municipality, more than 1.3 billion commuters used Istanbul's bus or tram services in 2019.
Last month, in another radical move, the city dropped the fares for ferry services between Istanbul’s Asian and European sides to only TL 0.05, almost free, for a limited time. Though limited to daytime trips, lowered faresed aim to encourage maritime transportation and flexible working hours during the pandemic.
