The Egged Bus Company demands that the government renew the publicly-funded security unit for public transportation. Egged spokesman Ron Ratner said today that ever since the abolition of the bus protection unit several years ago, the situation continues to deteriorate: \"The hundreds of veteran combat unit security personnel that used to ride the nation\'s bus lines, instilling confidence among commuters while preventing many attacks, have disappeared.... but the police, who have taken over the security, do not ride the buses...\"
Responding to the proposal of raising bus fares by five or ten agorot to pay for extra security, Ratner said that Egged cannot adjust fares for riders at will and must obtain government approval for price hikes. \"How many people will have to be killed and slaughtered on the buses before the powers that be take action?\" he questioned. There are many unemployed veterans, trained in IDF combat units, who could serve as bus security guards, he said, \"but the government is expressing no interest.\"
Responding to the proposal of raising bus fares by five or ten agorot to pay for extra security, Ratner said that Egged cannot adjust fares for riders at will and must obtain government approval for price hikes. \"How many people will have to be killed and slaughtered on the buses before the powers that be take action?\" he questioned. There are many unemployed veterans, trained in IDF combat units, who could serve as bus security guards, he said, \"but the government is expressing no interest.\"