Data recorders to increase quality of bus rides in Istanbul

Istanbul's public transportation company has said it will start using data recorders, which are common in airplanes, in their buses to collect more than 80 different data sets to improve driving quality, hopefully avoid accidents and determine the cause of accidents. 

The Istanbul Electric Tram and Tunnel Company (?ETT), which regulates and controls public transportation in the city, announced they will use the data recorder system in buses to prevent problems faced both from the passengers' and from the company's side. 

The data recorders, which are commonly found in airplanes and have recently started to be used in other sectors, will track and record the conditions of the vehicles and the drivers, which will function as a source of data. 

The system will not only record more than 80 different data sets, it will also analyze them. While the system will collect data on topics such as fuel efficiency, braking frequency, engine temperature and idle waiting time, which will be collected to enhance the efficiency of the way the buses are driven, data such as the ambient temperature inside the bus are aimed at improving the quality of the ride for passengers. 

At a time when commuting can take up to four hours a day and can be very painful for an Istanbul resident, knowing the density of a bus that one is waiting to take can help somewhat ease that daily pain. 

The new data recorder system will be able to weigh the bus and define the passenger occupancy rate, which will also be made public via the ?ETT's mobile application, MOB?ETT. Thus, the aim is to improve the quality of the transportation served to the residents of Istanbul. 

Mümin Kahveci, the general manager of ?ETT, which controls the city's bus lines,...