Revolution in the public transport system: This is what will happen to periodic travel subscription holders and seniors

July 30, 2024   

Good news for public transportation passengers: Starting August 25, the fine for holders of a periodic pass who have not validated it on public transportation will be reduced to only 50 shekels, compared to the full fine of 180 shekels. The reduction in the fine - an increased rate - will apply to passengers with a periodic travel pass that is paid in advance, such as "annual free", "monthly free" or "daily free". In addition, passengers aged 75 and over and passengers entitled to free travel who have not validated the card in good faith will pay the reduced fine. It should be noted that according to the instructions of the Ministry of Transportation, it is mandatory to validate the card on every trip, even for holders of periodic passes and those entitled to free travel. This is in order to allow for control and monitoring of the number of passengers, and because the Ministry of Transportation and public transportation operators are based on this data. The reduction in the fine is the result of a joint initiative by Minister of Transportation Miri Regev, Deputy Minister Rabbi Uri Maklev, and the National Public Transportation Authority. Until now, when an inspector found that a passenger had not validated a ticket, the passenger was imposed a full fine, even if he had a season ticket or was entitled to free travel, just like a passenger who had not purchased a ticket at all. Under the direction of Minister Regev and led by Deputy Minister Uri Maklev, an in-depth examination of the issue was conducted with the aim of finding the balance point that would encourage passengers to validate a ticket on every trip, but on the other hand would reduce the harm to passengers who have a season ticket or who are entitled to free travel. As stated, it was determined that the reduced fine for these passengers will now be only 50 shekels. Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, Brigadier General (res.) Miri Regev: "Every passenger is required to validate their Rav Kav card or app on every trip on public transportation, for many reasons, primarily the need to control and monitor the number of passengers at any time and on every line, along with the need for real data that will allow us to improve trip planning and raise the level of service. The fine for non-payment is intended to incentivize the passenger to pay and validate on every trip. However, imposing a full fine for non-validation, without distinguishing between a passenger who did not pay at all and a passenger who purchased a travel subscription in advance but did not validate his ticket, gives rise to a feeling of injustice and distortion. Therefore, I have instructed the department to examine the problem and propose a solution, and indeed the professional team has decided to significantly reduce the fine for these passengers. I call again on all passengers, both those with periodic subscriptions and those entitled to discounts and free travel: Do not forget to validate your Rav Kav card or app on every trip. This is for your benefit!" Deputy Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, Rabbi Uri Maklev: "We are constantly working to encourage the use of public transportation. In this regard, we have also addressed the issue of reducing the amount of the fine imposed on passengers who have purchased a periodic subscription in advance. There is no reason why a passenger who has paid in advance for the trip using a periodic subscription, or who is exempt from payment but forgot to validate, should pay the same fine as someone who did not purchase a ticket at all, which causes emotional distress and a sense of injustice. We are making efforts to improve the conduct of inspectors and are happy to announce that after many efforts, the Ministry of Transportation has succeeded in reducing the fine for holders of periodic subscriptions who have not validated public transportation. This is a bill that I submitted back in 2018, and it will go into effect in August 2024."