Rabbi Yisroel Eichler (UTJ) heads the Knesset Committee on
Public Complaints and his committee has scheduled public
hearings on bus crowding this coming Sunday, 10 Elul-
September 7. A long list of public figures is invited. Anyone
wishing to contribute suggestions should send a short, Hebrew
fax to the Committee at 02-649-6184.
At a meeting last week with Egged company heads MK Rabbi
Eichler demanded that more buses be added to all of the city
routes, particularly lines leading to the Kosel haMaarovi, in
order to prevent overcrowding.
"Today it is not a question of crowding, [poor] conditions
and the way the company treats its customers, but rather a
question of pikuach nefesh," Rabbi Eichler told Egged
executives during the meeting with them. He added that the
public would no longer yield on this matter. "If this
situation does not cease on all of the routes in general, and
on the routes to the Western Wall in particular, we will
create an alternative to Egged services. There are plenty of
competing companies and corporations waiting to receive these
lines."
Eichler says bus passengers send him numerous complaints,
including grievances regarding inferior service and poor
treatment. Among the most disturbing testimonials he received
was a report about a Dan ticket inspector who said, "You're
like animals so you can be packed in like sheep," a remark
indicative of the prevailing attitude on the streets, which
influences bus drivers. According to another complaint an
inspector at the Kosel, realizing the buses were not very
crowded, radioed instructions to "adjust the buses," i.e. to
reduce the number of buses dispatched.
The director of the Egged's national bus traffic division,
Zeev Sonenzon, told MK Eichler that Egged shows great respect
toward chareidi customers and that the majority of public
transportation users are from the religious sector. "We will
avoid crowding on all of the routes and we will try to meet
all the demands to our customers' satisfaction," said
Sonenzon. The manager of the Jerusalem region, Yossi
Chachkes, said that Egged will move forcefully to avoid
crowding. He asked passengers not to push onto crowded buses
but to wait a few minutes for the next bus. Supervisors have
been instructed to be very responsive to the needs of
passengers.
During the upcoming holiday season Egged will begin a new
line from Jerusalem to Bnei Brak via the northern Jerusalem
neighborhoods. Also during the yomim noraim there will
be a special Egged Mehadrin bus line to the Kosel.
A private initiative has begun running a regular bus route
through the northern neighborhoods of Jerusalem. The line is
in a loop from Ramat Shlomoh and back.
