Turkish taxi drivers protest decrease in passengers due to coronavirus

A group of Turkish taxi drivers have protested the decrease in the number of passengers, as hundreds of thousands of people have been refraining from going outside to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). "The drivers are in a race to earn money. Accident risks are increasing. We are working for the owner of the licence plate," Yunus Başboğa, a taxi driver speaking on behalf of the group, said on March 20.

Duvar English

A group of Turkish taxi drivers have protested the decrease in the number of passengers, as hundreds of thousands of people have been refraining from going outside to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

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Taxi drivers in Istanbul's Esenyurt and Beylikdüzü districts staged a protest, saying that they have difficulties in paying rents to the license owners.

During their protest, the drivers stood a meter apart from each other in line with the measures against coronavirus.

Following their motorcade, the drivers made a press statement.

"The drivers are in a race to earn money. Accident risks are increasing. We are working for the owner of the licence plate," Yunus Başboğa, a taxi driver speaking on behalf of the group, said on March 19.

"Currently, we are working for the license plate owner only. We are working for the owner of the vehicles. We don't have our eyes on their money, but we need to earn money too," he added.

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