Legal suits against transportation companies that fail to
meet their obligations to passengers are now underway.
Recently Betzedek has received hundreds of written complaints
regarding public transportation, including precise details
and recommendations to improve bus service.
The Betzedek public complaints center was set up two months
ago and the many complaints received since then have been
reviewed by lawyers conversant in transportation law.
According to the attorneys' recommendation, a portion of the
complaints will be compiled for a class-action suit or a
common suit. Other individual complaints will be directed to
small-claims court.
In the case of small claims, the plaintiff must appear in
person, and bringing a lawyer is virtually impossible.
Letters sent out by Betzedek explain in detail how to
properly file a suit in small-claims court, where cases
generally last 15 minutes or less. The plaintiff simply
presents his case and then answers any questions the judge
may pose.
According to the letters sent out by Betzedek, bus companies
are likely to issue threats or deny the prospective
plaintiff's claims, but Betzedek urges them not to be
dissuaded from going to court.
