MK Yisrael Eichler has pushed through legislation to establish a body to deal with problems with the Rav Kav transportation smart card. Since its introduction, there have been thousands of people complaining of issues with the smart card and the Knesset overwhelming agreed to establish the new agency to address these issues.
The Ministry of Transportation is responsible to set up a Rav Kav service centers. These centers will contain machines to dispense new cards as well as address some of the issues of cards in use. Representatives will also address complaints from commuters and issue refunds.
Perhaps the major issue is the fact that a smart card holder has no way of knowing how many rides remain until reaching a bus driver. This is particularly difficult for parents whose small children have cards to use to get to and from school. There are also many complaints from riders regarding the unwillingness of drivers to refill cards. Therefore, the ministry will establish centers around the country to permit riders to examine, fill and address issues with the smart cards without having to rely on drivers from one bus company or another.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
no way of knowing how many rides remain until reaching a bus driver or a ticket machine at Light rail Stop. So I always had to stock up a few rides ahead of time, just to be sure I would not find myself in a situation of no value on my Rav card.
Same unfortunately applies to NYC MTA cards, that can absolutely not be verified except at subway station, or by having to pay on a bus.
I got a better idea. Why don’t they just drop these stupid cards and go back to the old system that everybody was happy with?! There are so many problems with this new system that it isn’t funny. Besides not knowing how much money is on them more than half the time the bus driver has to do kuntzim to get the scanner to read the card. People constantly get false results stating the card is empty and then re-swipe and it takes the payment. It’s just a failed concept that instead of either trashing or improving they try to put band-aids on it.
“Therefore, the ministry will establish centers around the country to permit riders to examine…he smart cards without having to rely on drivers” – The Ministry of Transportation is so narrow minded! What happens when a mother sends her kids off to school just to find them coming back home 15-20 minutes later because there is no way for her to check the cards at home and there’s no money on the card?! With the old system you looked at the card and instantly knew how many punches are left. What’s she supposed to do now? Leave the baby in the crib and walk down the block every day with the others just to make sure they have enough to get to school and back?
STUPID! STUPID! STUPID CARDS!