Mehadrin Bus Lines Almost Ready To Begin

With the 30 day trial period for mehadrin bus lines coming to a close, Egged is preparing for a court decision requiring full implementation in the coming days.

Bechadrei reports that Egged bus drivers are receiving instructions and training in how to ensure that nobody is coerced to sit anywhere specific on the bus.

Stickers affixed to the bus instruct passengers that "every passenger is entitled to sit wherever they please, with the exception of specific seats that are marked for people with limited abilities. Harassment of a passenger in regards to the seating arrangements can be a criminal offense."

As mentioned previously, the mehadrin arrangement as  directed by the court is basically a non-decision. Nobody can tell anybody where to sit, and anybody can sit wherever they want. This is the way it has always been and according to the court this is the way it will stay, even under the mehadrin arrangement. I am not sure what is mehadrin about it, as it seems pretty regular to me.

In addition, some groups are protesting the fact that some of the mehadrin bus lines benefit from discounted prices that are not applied to the equivalent "regular" lines. (source: NRG). Egged passes the blame to the Ministry of Transportation, saying they set the fares, and the MoT deflects blame saying ti is not to give preference to anybody or any sector, but they are usually for historical reasons, though they say they are working toward making all prices across the board equal.

Instead of protesting, they should ride those bus lines and take advantage of the discount. There is nothing forcing them to sit separate,  so they should have no problem riding the mehadrin bus.