Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that they plan to start a new European Union project to meet the need for TIR Parks. Minister Uraloğlu said, “One of the most important goals of the project is to create safe TIR parks and facilitate the employment of women drivers in particular. The number of women in the transportation sector will increase with our work.” Uraloğlu also announced that they have decided to support companies that employ women drivers as a Ministry.
Uraloğlu visited the International Freight Forwarders Association (UND). Minister Uraloğlu met with female truck drivers and said in his speech, “We celebrate the World Drivers Day of our drivers who are in our lives day and night, regardless of snow or winter, who work devotedly behind the wheel to deliver people to their loved ones and loads to their destinations safely.”
“We have come a long way in 22 years”
Minister Uraloğlu noted that the transportation and logistics sector is the fundamental building block of the increasingly global and integrated world economy and international trade. Uraloğlu stated, “Located in a region where the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa intersect, our country is a strategically important junction on the route between world economic centers and raw material resources. We have come a long way in the last 22 years to maximize the economic, political and cultural benefits offered by this unique location.”
Road Transportation to 3 Countries in 70 Continents
Emphasizing that they have largely solved Turkey’s infrastructure problem, Uraloğlu said, “We have transformed our country into an international corridor in every mode of transportation between Asia, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus and the Black Sea countries. Look, today we provide road transportation to nearly 70 countries on three continents. We have road transportation agreements with 60 countries.”
Number of Companies Receiving Authorization Certificates Increased by 80 Percent
Uraloğlu, who reminded that world trade was disrupted during and after the pandemic, said, “As Turkey, we have written success stories with our geographical location and strong logistics sector. Turkey has entered a rapid growth process in international road transport with its strong transportation infrastructure and production capabilities. When we compare it with the pre-pandemic period, we see that there has been an approximately 80 percent increase in the number of companies that have received authorization certificates from our ministry to conduct international transport, and a 46 percent increase in the number of our vehicles.”
“Our Export Flight Number Reached 1,6 Million”
Uraloğlu stated that the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure is in constant consultation with the sector to solve the problems of transporters and continued his words as follows:
“As a result of these efforts, we have achieved a significant increase in transportation quotas to both European and Asian countries, and have largely eliminated transit fees. The number of transit documents we have received has reached 1,7 million, and the number of export trips has reached 1,6 million. The steps we have taken together have directly reflected on our country’s international trade, and today, 33 percent of our exports are made by road. Turkey’s exports have increased to 2023 billion dollars in 256 despite the earthquake and the decrease in demand. We have increased the share we receive from transportation not only in our country’s exports, but also in transit trade. While our country’s service exports have reached 100,8 billion dollars, transportation and logistics have a very important role in this.”
“Developing Alternative Transportation Corridors is Our Priority Policy”
Noting that they want to further increase the power of the sector with steps such as Zangezur and Development Road Corridors, Uraloğlu said, “Creating new transportation markets and developing alternative transportation corridors for the sustainability of trade is our primary policy. As you know, the land transportation agreement we signed with China has entered into force, we started trial China transportation in 2024. We identify problems in the field in contact with our companies and convey them to the Chinese side. We will further develop transportation by holding a Land Transportation Joint Commission Meeting with China in the first half of 2025.”
Uraloğlu, who also reminded that they signed a bilateral road transport agreement with Qatar on November 14, 2024, said, “We will complete the road transport agreement with other countries in the region. These signed agreements will be important points of the road leg of the Development Path. We are ahead of most countries, especially in the field of digitalization. We organize trainings for various countries on this subject and share our experiences.” Stating that they developed the first electronic transit document in the world, Uraloğlu announced that they will continue their digitalization studies that will facilitate transportation.
“Professions Have No Gender”
Uraloğlu, who stated that professional drivers are at the forefront of the issues they attach importance to as the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, said, “The driving profession is a profession that has existed for centuries. With the replacement of vehicles powered by animals centuries ago with modern vehicles as of the 19th century, driving has also changed and transformed. For many years, this profession was a field dominated by men. However, we now know very well that professions have no gender, my friends. If women are not active in social life in a country, rest assured that it is never possible for that country to develop, grow, improve and achieve its goals.”
“Women Drivers Are an Integral Part of the Industry”
Uraloğlu, who stated that women are not only the founders and protectors of the family institution, but also the greatest value of the Republic of Turkey, said, “While the world is changing rapidly today, women are also becoming more active in every field in the business world. This change has also had an impact in the transportation sector. Female drivers have now become an inseparable part of the sector. Therefore, we must provide equal opportunities to our female colleagues, improve their working conditions and support their professional development.”
Uraloğlu, who stated that the supply of professional drivers is a major problem in the world, said, “As a temporary solution, we allowed drivers to work until the age of 69, provided that they submit a health report stating that they are fit to drive. We are also conducting studies with the participation of sector representatives and experts in order to find a permanent solution to the problem.”
“We Care Especially About the Employment of Women and Youth in the Sector”
Uraloğlu stated that they are working to meet the need for TIR Parks and said, “We are planning to start a new IPA, or European Union project, to meet the need for more TIR Parks where drivers can safely park and rest during both domestic and international transportation. It has been accepted as a concept and currently the specifications and budgeting work is ongoing.”
Uraloğlu stated that thanks to the project, new parking areas to be established at international standards on the main transportation axes will meet the needs of drivers such as repair and maintenance, and continued his words as follows:
“It will be able to work integrated with border gates by being equipped with smart transportation systems. One of the most important goals of the project is to create safe and secure TIR parks and facilitate the employment of drivers, especially women drivers, in this area. I believe that with such efforts, the number of women in the transportation sector will increase even more in the near future. Women drivers will bring a new breath to our sector and contribute to the formation of a more efficient and safe transportation approach. I would also like to say the following here. In the meeting we just held, we, as the Ministry, decided to support our companies that employ women drivers, we will encourage this and ensure that our women are more present in this sector.”
