Bus Company Dan Fined for Repeatedly Skipping Passenger's Stop
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
A Petah Tikva commuter won a partial victory in small claims court against the bus company Dan, receiving NIS 3,000 in compensation after proving the company's bus line 82 repeatedly skipped his designated stop. The court found Dan liable for the repeated violations, citing evidence and the National Public Transport Authority's confirmation of some complaints.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Bus company Dan ordered to pay NIS 3,000 for skipping passenger's stop.
- Commuter documented seven instances of bus line 82 failing to stop.
- Court found Dan liable, rejecting company's defense arguments.
- National Public Transport Authority confirmed some complaints.
- Compensation covers distress, hassle, and wasted time.
A regular commuter in Petah Tikva successfully sued the public transportation company Dan after experiencing multiple instances where bus line 82 failed to stop for him. The passenger, Meir Cohen, documented seven occasions over three months where he stood at the Jabotinsky/HaYetzira bus stop, signaled the driver, but the bus drove past. He initially claimed the bus skipped his stop at least ten times.
Cohen filed a small claims lawsuit against Dan for NIS 30,000. Before going to court, he also lodged seven complaints with the National Public Transport Authority. While initially receiving only automated responses, the authority later investigated some complaints, cross-referencing them with Dan's performance data. For an incident on May 13th, the authority confirmed it was being escalated for administrative enforcement, providing objective support for Cohen's claims.
Dan argued that Cohen failed to prove he was at the stop each time and accused him of acting in bad faith by contacting the authority instead of the company directly. The court dismissed these arguments, finding no basis for them and affirming the right of passengers to report issues to the supervisory body. Dan's claim that Cohen should have taken a taxi to mitigate damages was also rejected, with the court stating passengers are not immediately obligated to incur taxi costs.
Ultimately, the court ruled in favor of Cohen regarding the bus company's violations but reduced the compensation. While acknowledging the inconvenience, lost time, and disruption caused by the skipped stops, especially given the repeated nature of the incidents and an estimated 20-minute additional wait each time, the judge awarded NIS 3,000 for distress, hassle, and wasted time. Dan was also ordered to reimburse Cohen NIS 300 for court fees.
