Israeli Passenger Wins Compensation After Bus Company Fails to Stop

A regular public transport user in Israel has been awarded 3,000 shekels (approximately $800 USD) in compensation after a bus company repeatedly failed to stop for him at his designated bus stop. Meir Cohen, who commutes to work in Petah Tikva four times a week, documented seven instances over three months where buses on route number 82 from the "Zabotinsky/Ha'Etzira" stop failed to pick him up, despite him signaling them to stop. He initially claimed 30,000 shekels in a lawsuit against the "Dan" bus company.

Cohen meticulously gathered evidence, including photographing the license plates of buses that passed him by. Before suing, he filed seven complaints with the National Public Transport Authority. While he received automated responses, the authority later confirmed that some complaints led to administrative proceedings for control measures against Dan, based on the transport ministry's data. The court considered these official responses as objective confirmation of Cohen's claims, noting the repeated nature of the incidents across different dates.

Dan argued that Cohen failed to prove his presence at the stop and lacked witnesses. They also accused him of bad faith, suggesting he deliberately escalated complaints to the ministry instead of contacting the company directly. The court dismissed these arguments, stating Cohen had the right to approach the regulatory body. Dan's claim that Cohen should have taken a taxi to mitigate losses was also rejected, with the judge ruling that passengers are not obligated to incur immediate taxi expenses.

The court acknowledged Cohen's core claims regarding the violations but found his requested compensation amount excessive, stating it should not function as a penalty. However, the judge recognized that such repeated failures cause more than just inconvenience, leading to lost time and disruption. Considering the documented cases, the regulatory authority's involvement, and Cohen's testimony of waiting an additional 20 minutes after each missed bus, the court awarded him 3,000 shekels for emotional distress, inconvenience, and lost time. Dan was also ordered to reimburse Cohen 300 shekels for court fees.