The Ministry of Transportation emphasizes that bus companies are required to accommodate riders, even during night hours. The ministry has received a number of letters in recent months explaining at times, passengers were not permitted on buses late at night because the bus was too crowded. Despite being stranded, the bus company refused to send another bus out to accommodate riders.
Commuters at bus stops late at night may find themselves without a bus home. At times a last bus on a route pulls out, full, leaving travelers at the bus stop.
Mrs. Sharon Karsagi, who heads the ombudsman’s office in the ministry explains the bus companies are required under law to transport all the passengers from bus stops. The companies do not have the right to simply leave riders stranded because a bus is full, explaining they must put another bus into service to accommodate additional passengers, even one. She explains when the last bus pulls out for the night, the driver cannot leave riders stranded at a stop and if required, the bus company must put another bus into service.
According to law, only ten passengers are permitted to stand on a bus. Therefore, too often, bus drivers inform travelers a bus is full and in the case of a last bus on a route, they have no way to reach their destination.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
Yup
And no smoking is allowed within 8 meters of a bus stop. Who’s enforcing this?
Is there a phone number too call at 1:30 AM when the last bus doesn’t even bother to approach the bus stop?
Will the bus companies be required to reimburse taxi rides if they didn’t obey the law, assuming it could be proven?