Mehmet, Community Ambassador for Samsun and Muğla

July 24, 2016

    Samsun is the capital of the northern Turkish province of the same name. The city is located on the Black Sea Coast and is growing fast as the city is reclaiming land from the sea. The city’s half a million population is currently served by a bus network and the city’s municipality is even planning to a install an electric bus rapid transit system.

    Muğla is a city on the Aegean coast to the south west of the country. The city lies on an arid plain below a rugged mountainous region. The city, although relatively small in population number, has recently grown and developed with the establishment of the city’s university in the 1990s and is now experiencing a boost from local tourism that is supporting a restoration of the city’s traditional architect. Students and residents alike enjoy both a compact intra-city bus system and additional routes connecting the leafy city to the surrounding region.

    Marmaris harbor (aerial view), Muğla Province, southwest Turkey, Mediterranean.

    Marmaris harbor (aerial view), Muğla Province, southwest Turkey, Mediterranean.

    Mehmet first heard about Moovit on a technology news site and joined the Community immediately after. He stressed that as a populous university city Samsun should be added to the app without delay which prompted the Moovit Team to build a partnership with the local transit agency and this month the city was launched on the app. In addition to Samsun, Mehmet volunteered to map the city he studies in, Muğla. He describes these country-wide contributions as, “my biggest achievement in my community so far.”

    Recently Mehmet has learned that gathering official information for Muğla’s transit system has so far proven to be challenging, and so Mehmet is reaching out the the local transport operator for further assistance. Mehmet feels that the opportunity to be a Turkish Ambassador has helped him develop his leadership skills, and going to great lengths to obtain the information attests to his feat.

    Mehmet studies computer engineering at the University of Muğla and maintains an active lifestyle by regularly swimming and cycling. If he isn’t contributing to the Moovit Community or studying, he’s learning new software languages or helping to develop applications for Android operating systems. Despite all of this, the region’s Ambassador says he next plans to rally the other Community members toward their goal of getting Muğla onto the app. Mehmet encourages new members never to hesitate to ask him anything if they want to join the communal efforts. Well done, Mehmet, you’re a first-rate Ambassador!

    Previous