For passengers using a Rav Kav smart card for payment, they may begin boarding certain lines from the rear door as well beginning on Monday, 15 Iyar.

The opening of the rear doors to permit women to board was among Transportation Ministry objections to mehadrin lines for the women bypassed the driver, where they are required to pay. By order of Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, beginning on 15 Iyar, passengers may board by either the front or rear door on the two main lines of the Metropolin Bus Company in the Sharon area to decrease the long lines among passengers waiting to board. This is viewed as a solution for the mehadrin line operators as well and rabbonim hope this will soon become official policy for mehadrin lines. .

The Metropolin lines operating under the new arrangement service Kfar Saba, Ra’anana and Herzliya, about 40 of the company’s new buses. A payment machine has been installed adjacent to the rear doors to permit passengers to pay without having to reach the driver. It is hoped the pilot program will result on a similar boarding option on mehadrin and all other buses to minimize boarding time and take a measureable stress off the drivers.

Officials will be positioned at appropriate bus stops to inform passengers of the new arrangement beginning Monday. It is likely that if the program is successful it will begin on Egged and other bus lines.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)