An avreich traveling the number 340 bus from Jerusalem to Modi’in Illit with his four children, all under the age of 5, was assaulted by the driver.
The driver spat at him, the daily HaMevaser reports, as well as verbally assaulting him. He pushed one of the children, an 18-month-old, to move the child along as he headed down the bus stairs. The incident occurred a number of days ago on the last bus of the day, 22:25. The avreich reports; and his statements are backed by a number of passengers who witnessed the events, and that this particular driver is known to the “regulars” as a most aggressive personality. For this particular driver, it is his norm to rush moms traveling alone with children, often shouting and cursing at them “Hurry up. I am in a rush”.
Some riders explained that this particular ride was tenser than regular, and as a result of the driver’s shouts they forgot items when they got off at the Ritva and Iyun HaLimud Streets bus stops.
At the following stop, where the avreich got off with his four children, the driver berated them shouting “get off already! I am in a rush!” He then pushed the toddler who was trying to negotiate the deep bus stairs while holding his dad’s hand, while dad had a heavy package in the other hand.
When the father turned to the driver to explain his behavior was most unacceptable, not to mention his placing a hand on the toddler, the driver responded by spitting at him and releasing a few choice words.
Superbus reports the incident will be probed and if the facts prove to be as reported, the driver will be fined and a note will be placed in his permanent file.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
He should be fired or temporarily dismissed until he learns how to treat his passengers.I always thought that in general the bus drivers in E”Y were especially nice and considerate.
Before anyone turns this int an anti-frum incident, it isn’t one.
The specific bus driver is just a nut. He is an equal opportunity jerk. He is nasty to frei and frum equally.
basmelech,please excuse me, but from where do you have the idea that the bus drivers are nice or considerate. Last night I was left at a bus stop by the driver. He was not even in the appropriate lane to even be able to stop at my stop, even though his line number is written on the bus stop, so he is supposed to stop there. This happened after 10 p.m. and there is only 1 bus an hour to that location. I got home more than 40 minutes after I was supposed to, after taking 4 different buses and finally getting a ride. It could have taken even longer. My husband went down to ask the driver for his details and told him that he didn’t stop at my stop and the driver informed my husband that he had stopped at EVERY stop on the route. LIE!
A neighbor told me that the bus that is supposed to come to her neighborhood and also comes very infrequently, often tells the passengers that he is not going to go down to their neighborhood, even though he is supposed to. He will leave CHILDREN at a stop that is 1 kilometer or more from their house at nighttime. There are other drivers who will simply pass by the stops even though their bus is not full.
Why is this allowed to happen? I was told that it is useless to call the company as they do nothing and simply act as they want. IMPOSSIBLE!
A ‘note placed in his permanent file’ ??! There are so few people looking for jobs that they need to keep someone who behaves like that in their employment? His ‘permanent file’ needs to be dealt with permanently!!
I know quite a few things about the buses in Eretz Yisrael.
First Egged is looking for charedi drivers and they train them well. Why are they looking for charedi drivers is they are respectful to their customers and they don’t want to loose more route. On the Egged buses the driver is issue a card which starts the bus and records every sale which he must download to Egged’s computers at least once in 3 days. The Egged buses and I believe the other lines also are on GPS. Egged know where each of the over 3000 buses are once they are switched on by the drive. The GPS also knows if he stopped or not. If the driver misses stops it can be traced. Egged today owns bus lines in Poland and Holland& some of the egged old smattahs are now in Poland. Complain, complain and complain and also the minster or transportation and it would be dealt with.
Guys, I hate to break it, but its not Egged, but Superbus. Superbus has had problems – most of their drivers are arab and not all that mannerly, – but they are trying to clean up their act. They have improved significantly – in the opinion of most people in Kiryat Sefer – in the last year or two. They do take action. If someone has a particular grievance they can send me a message, I happen to know someone in the management there.
Thinking about how this would be dealt with in the USA. Probably an immediate payed leave and an immediate serious investigation by police and supervisers. If found to be true would lose job immediately and be subject to a prison sentence besides heavy fines. Leis din, vles dayan!
for your info,
most of superbuses drivers are our dear ‘cousins’.
this story is not surprising.
My mother had taken a bus the wrong direction by mistake. When she was the only passenger left on the bus she realized her mistake and asked the driver how to get to where she needed to go. The driver said, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take you”. Only in Israel.