From Small Terminals in Istanbul to the World’s Largest Bus Terminal!
THE GREAT ISTANBUL TERMINAL:
HISTORY WRITTEN WITH BUS TIRES
No one ever imagined that the Grand İstanbul Bus Terminal would be this massive. I still remember Turgut Özal’s words, “This is not a terminal, it’s a space station!” Let us take a little time journey and first travel back to 1984.
What do you say?
///Yazı: Türker Başkurt
It was a beautiful, sunny day in April 1984. Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Bedrettin Dalan had identified a site for the new terminal and had even prepared a preliminary project. At that time, he was in discussions with Cemal Ulusoy. Brother Cemal was insistent, saying, “We will build the terminal.” Back then, municipalities and the government frequently used the “Build-Operate-Transfer” formula to realize investments. Dalan said, “It’s possible, but I have conditions. Three associations must merge: Anadolu Terminal, Trakya Terminal, and International Terminal Associations, along with the office owners in Harem... Also, I will only give this job to you if you agree to provide offices to companies with more than 10 buses of their own.”
The Toughest Times: How Will We Do It?
Brother Cemal immediately sprang into action and called me, saying, “Come quickly.” I went to Merter. I was curious, wondering, “What could it be?” He had just returned from the municipality, had met with Dalan, and explained the mayor’s conditions. He said, “You quickly gather the Trakya Terminal tradesmen, explain the situation, and get a decision from the management. Then we will discuss it with the International Terminal Association.”
I went to our association president, Nurettin Gündüz. At that time, I was the vice president. I explained the situation, and he said, “Let’s gather the tradesmen.” The next day, at the meeting, I detailed what Cemal Ulusoy had explained. Some viewed it positively, while others were quite worried. Everyone was saying, “Let’s think about it, see what happens.” But everyone knew the old terminal would be dismantled, and a new one would be built. Because the municipality had decided, it would happen regardless of the conditions. I concluded by saying, “Dalan’s only condition is our unification. Think about what will happen if we don’t unite and make your decision accordingly. I will join the new association today. Eventually, you all will have to come. But in my opinion, hurry up.” Mustafa N. Özyılmaz from Akseki said, “I’m coming too.” Nurettin Gündüz said, “Let’s think about it,” and the meeting ended. Mustafa and I went to see Brother Cemal. I explained the situation. “They will think and inform us; let’s register as members, and we will gather everyone shortly,” I said. I became the 51st member, and Mustafa Özyılmaz (Aksekili) became the 52nd member. Within ten days, we decided to join at the Trakya Garage. The president of the International Terminal Association, A. Baki Albayrak, and his team also joined.A management list was formed with seven members from the Anadolu Terminal, five from the Trakya Terminal, and five from the International Terminal, and a general assembly was held. Thus, UATOD was established.
The Board of Directors included Cemal Ulusoy, Mehmet Özcan, Ahmet Yalamanoğlu, İbrahim Artırdı, Dursun Çebi, Haydar Süzer, and Sabri Alayoğlu from the Anadolu Terminal; Nurettin Gündüz, Türker Başkurt, Abdullah Turgut, Nazif Taner, and Hakkı Kızıltan from the Trakya Terminal; and A. Baki Albayrak, Muharrem Balata, Ferit (Özlem Tur), İskender Av, and Recep Terzi from the International Terminal.
The 17-member board immediately began work. They visited Bedrettin Dalan. A meeting was held with the tradesmen at the Sheraton Hotel for introductions and information. Project work began with Professor Mehmet Çubuk and his team. The “Build-Operate-Transfer” protocol was signed with Dalan at the Taksim Intercontinental Hotel, and six firms entered the tender. Cevahir Holding, which offered the lowest bid, won the tender for the construction of the terminal. A short-term protocol was signed, and Mehmet Cevahir’s team began excavation on the site.
I went to our association president, Nurettin Gündüz. At that time, I was the vice president. I explained the situation, and he said, “Let’s gather the tradesmen.” The next day, at the meeting, I detailed what Cemal Ulusoy had explained. Some viewed it positively, while others were quite worried. Everyone was saying, “Let’s think about it, see what happens.” But everyone knew the old terminal would be dismantled, and a new one would be built. Because the municipality had decided, it would happen regardless of the conditions. I concluded by saying, “Dalan’s only condition is our unification. Think about what will happen if we don’t unite and make your decision accordingly. I will join the new association today. Eventually, you all will have to come. But in my opinion, hurry up.” Mustafa N. Özyılmaz from Akseki said, “I’m coming too.” Nurettin Gündüz said, “Let’s think about it,” and the meeting ended. Mustafa and I went to see Brother Cemal. I explained the situation. “They will think and inform us; let’s register as members, and we will gather everyone shortly,” I said. I became the 51st member, and Mustafa Özyılmaz (Aksekili) became the 52nd member. Within ten days, we decided to join at the Trakya Garage. The president of the International Terminal Association, A. Baki Albayrak, and his team also joined.A management list was formed with seven members from the Anadolu Terminal, five from the Trakya Terminal, and five from the International Terminal, and a general assembly was held. Thus, UATOD was established.
The Board of Directors included Cemal Ulusoy, Mehmet Özcan, Ahmet Yalamanoğlu, İbrahim Artırdı, Dursun Çebi, Haydar Süzer, and Sabri Alayoğlu from the Anadolu Terminal; Nurettin Gündüz, Türker Başkurt, Abdullah Turgut, Nazif Taner, and Hakkı Kızıltan from the Trakya Terminal; and A. Baki Albayrak, Muharrem Balata, Ferit (Özlem Tur), İskender Av, and Recep Terzi from the International Terminal.
The 17-member board immediately began work. They visited Bedrettin Dalan. A meeting was held with the tradesmen at the Sheraton Hotel for introductions and information. Project work began with Professor Mehmet Çubuk and his team. The “Build-Operate-Transfer” protocol was signed with Dalan at the Taksim Intercontinental Hotel, and six firms entered the tender. Cevahir Holding, which offered the lowest bid, won the tender for the construction of the terminal. A short-term protocol was signed, and Mehmet Cevahir’s team began excavation on the site.
First Name: Dalan Terminal
The project for the terminal in Bayrampaşa was developed with all agreements between Istanbul Mayor Bedrettin Dalan and the team led by Cemal Ulusoy. A date was set for the signing ceremony. A meeting was organized at the Taksim Intercontinental Hotel to inform the tradesmen about our agreement with the municipality. Mr. Dalan would also attend the meeting. The meeting began, and somehow Ahmet Yalamanoğlu had convinced Cemal Ulusoy to agree to a surprise decision, even without informing the board. I guess it was to surprise Dalan. They kept it secret to prevent any leaks that would spoil the surprise. The late Cemal Ulusoy gave a speech praising Dalan and concluded with, “We have decided to name our terminal ‘Dalan Terminal’.” Of course, all the tradesmen applauded. Then Dalan took the floor. He gave brief information about the construction and the project. He said, “Thank you very much for deciding to name this facility after me.” He was moved, struggling to speak. Tears started to fall from his eyes. “People are remembered for the good things they do after they die, and their names are given to various places. But you let me experience this feeling while I’m still alive.” His blue eyes welled up, and he stepped down from the podium, thanking everyone. So, what did we do? In the next election, Dalan lost the mayoralty. We forgot that day, that enthusiasm, the man’s tears, and Dalan. We also forgot to name the terminal Dalan Terminal.
The Terminal Would Not Operate Without a New Charter!
By 1987, we faced a problem. Despite the ongoing construction, it was not possible for the association to operate the terminal under the current charter and laws once it became operational. The establishment of a company became an agenda item. This company needed to be a joint-stock company. Thus, Grand İstanbul Bus Corporations Inc., abbreviated as (BİOAŞ), was founded. Preparations began for the groundbreaking ceremony. Turgut Özal was invited.
KUTU: First Founding Members
BİOAŞ Founding Members
Cemal Ulusoy
Mehmet Turgut Özcan
Nurettin Gündüz
Türker Başkurt
Ahmet Yalamanoğlu
İbrahim Arttırdı
Ali Haydar Süzer
Mustafa Dağıstanlı
Dursun Çebi
Recep Terzi
Muharrem Belata
Hakkı Kızıltan
Nazif Taner
Abdullah Turgut
Mehmet Turgut Özcan
Nurettin Gündüz
Türker Başkurt
Ahmet Yalamanoğlu
İbrahim Arttırdı
Ali Haydar Süzer
Mustafa Dağıstanlı
Dursun Çebi
Recep Terzi
Muharrem Belata
Hakkı Kızıltan
Nazif Taner
Abdullah Turgut
Turgut Özal: “This Is Not a Terminal, It is a Space Station!”
The area where the terminal is now located was a football field. With excellent organization, the Prime Minister of the time, Turgut Özal, attended the groundbreaking ceremony. When he saw the project photo, he said, “This looks like a space station, not a terminal!” He thanked everyone and pressed the red groundbreaking button. It was a magnificent ceremony with hospitality, decorated buses, and grandeur.
And the First Bus Enters the Terminal!
Although commonly known as Esenler Terminal among the public, the terminal is within the Bayrampaşa district. The construction took seven years. Again, on a beautiful and sunny April day, a date I always remember, April 6, 1994, our terminal was inaugurated by the then-Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
KUTU: The First Computerized Offices!
Years passed. We never expected the terminal to reach such a large capacity. And problems ensued. One of the biggest issues was still manually issued tickets. I was thinking of transitioning the terminal offices to a computerized system. I was researching and asking, but I was constantly worried about what we would do if the data was lost or the system crashed. At that time, only two Trakya companies issued tickets with computers. Cavit Bey, the owner of Ceren Bilgisayar, continually visited me, trying to convince me. But there was no decision yet. One day he came to me, saying, “Everyone I talk to says, ‘If he does it, we will do it too.’ Please give me a chance, I don’t even want money from you. Let me set it up, use it, and you’ll see. You’ll make my way easier too,” he pleaded. I told Cavit Bey, “The ‘I don’t want money’ part is wrong, that won’t happen. Forget you said that. I still can’t escape my doubts.” He answered my technical questions, but I didn’t understand anything. Finally, one day I couldn’t stand it anymore and said, “Cavit Bey, let’s start with just one office at the terminal as a trial. Let’s see if we can adapt and succeed.” We agreed. That’s all he wanted, to take a step forward.
The System Crashed!
We managed it. While we were boasting about using technology, one day the system crashed. What I feared and didn’t want happened. Everything stopped. The staff couldn’t issue tickets. They had barely learned how to use the system. No seat numbers, no information about whether the bus was full or empty. We quickly came up with a practical solution: separating and listing the tickets sold that day. We sent the buses off with advances without being able to finalize the accounts. Of course, I was constantly bombarding Cavit Bey. “Brother, it’s done, we’re fixing the problem,” I would say, but he started avoiding my calls because I was pestering him so much. Thankfully, after a 4-hour ordeal, we returned to normal. We quickly adapted to the computerized system. After Istanbul, we implemented the system in Izmir and throughout Turkey, experiencing its great conveniences. With zero accounting errors, we eliminated mistakes and started working with peace of mind.