Hundreds of thousands of worshippers arrived at the Western Wall Plaza in Jerusalem during the Passover holiday, thanks to an impressive, coordinated, and precise public transportation system that allows for quick, convenient, and safe access to the remains of our Temple.
Behind the transportation success stood the extraordinary preparation of the Ministry of Transportation, led by Deputy Minister Uri Maklev, who worked for months on meticulous planning, in collaboration with the Jerusalem Transportation Master Team, the municipal and intercity transportation companies, Israel Railways, and security officials.
The increase in bus service to the Western Wall amounted to 1,200 trips per day - almost a bus every half minute during peak hours.
The Ministry of Transportation notes that the preparations were not carried out in a vacuum, but were based on in-depth learning of the lessons of recent years, constant improvement in the public guidance system, reinforcement of service centers, and the expansion of designated lines to the Western Wall throughout the day under the supervision of the Director General of the Ministry of Transportation Moshe Ben Zaken and under the direction of the Ministry of Transportation Advisor Shlomo Rosenstein.
Deputy Minister Maklev, who was closely monitoring the preparations, said: “Public transportation is a crucial factor for the traveling public, especially on holidays when there is a long Hol HaMoed and the public travels in droves. The Ministry of Transportation is preparing with great efforts to bring an available service to passengers, on an unparalleled scale, and to streamline the service with a large investment in planning, budgeting and coordination. Indeed, this investment has borne fruit. The effort that began months in advance was clearly felt – at every station, bus and street across the country.”
The public also expressed particularly high levels of satisfaction, with many worshippers and visitors thanking the Deputy Minister and praising the availability of the Deputy Minister's office, which worked until late at night to provide service to passengers, alongside the traffic arrangements, the extensive guidance system, and the sense of security and order that prevailed in the country - even during rush hour.
The Ministry of Transportation added that for the first time this year, real-time load management mechanisms were activated, which included monitoring passenger traffic, sending immediate reinforcements, and dynamic deployment of transportation means according to changing needs in the field.
The success of the transportation system during the Passover holiday once again emphasizes the strategic importance of well-planned public transportation – not only as a means of transportation, but as a basis for optimal public service for the traveling public, even during peak times.
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