A volunteer from the organization 'Chesed' - an organization that transports patients or family members whose relatives are in hospitals from Haredi neighborhoods - who drove two women with cancer from the Borough Park neighborhood to the hospital for treatment on Monday morning, was arrested by a TLC inspector, claiming that he was using a paid transportation vehicle, without a license. The inspector issued the volunteer a high fine - and his vehicle was confiscated.
The TLC is the body that oversees paid transportation and the licensing of taxis and limousines. One of the department's tasks is to ensure that private individuals do not provide rides for a fee. For several months, the department's inspectors have been roaming the Borough Park neighborhood, arresting pirate taxi owners in the area. This is mainly based on reports they receive from licensed taxi stations, which are fighting the proliferation of Haredi taxi drivers operating without a license.
Immediately after the vehicle was confiscated, the organization sent a replacement vehicle that took the patients to their destination.
After lengthy conversations and intervention by ultra-Orthodox city council members, the vehicle was returned to the volunteer.
The TLC chairman apologized to the director of the 'Chesed' organization and explained that the volunteer picked up two women from two different locations, while talking on the phone. The women entered from the back and not the front of the vehicle - which further raised the suspicion that it was a pickpocket. According to him, Later, when they stopped the vehicle, the driver couldn't tell which passengers were male and vice versa, so the inspector who stopped the vehicle used common sense.
The fine was canceled and the TLC stated that they will do everything they can to ensure that such cases do not occur again.
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