Standing on a bus (Illustration)
Standing on a bus (Illustration)Flash 90

Bus drivers providing the public with transportation are allowed to take up to ten standing passengers according to Israeli law, occasionally causing them to pass by and leave passengers waiting at bus stations until a less crowded bus arrives.

But thanks to the request of a hareidi resident of Elad, located east of Petah Tikva, that reality is a thing of the past.

The resident's request on the issue led Elad Deputy Mayor Rabbi Shmuel Grossbard, who holds the municipality portfolio on transportation, to urge the Transportation Ministry to listen to the man's solution to the problem.

Under the framework presented, drivers would be required to pick up all passengers at the stations.

For every trip in which over ten riders were forced to stand, the bus company would have to report to the Transportation Ministry, and if it occurred more than three times in the same hour, the company would immediately be required to add an extra bus on a fixed basis for the hour of high demand.

In a letter sent by the public inquiry department, it was noted "in the coming days a new guideline will launch relating to the limitations on picking up standing passengers."

"The message brought by the guideline is that the criminal sanctions (against drivers) for giving over ten passengers standing-room only rides will be cancelled," it added. "Only the financial traffic ticket will remain unchanged."

The statement continued "additionally around ten inter-city bus lines will be excluded and allowed to give up to ten passengers rides while standing without a fine. Also the ministry will continue to reinforce lines inundated with passengers so that the problem will not be repeated."