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 route number 82 buses ignored his signals to stop at the Jabotinsky/Ha'Etzira stop. He initially sought 30,000 shekels in damages from the Dan bus company.

Cohen meticulously gathered evidence, including photographing the license plates of buses that passed him by. Before filing his lawsuit, he submitted seven formal complaints to the National Public Transport Authority. While he received automated acknowledgments, the authority later confirmed through its systems that some of his complaints warranted administrative review for potential control measures, lending objective support to his claims.

The court in Petah Tikva partially accepted Cohen's case, acknowledging the repeated nature of the incidents and the supporting documentation from the transport authority. Dan argued that Cohen had not proven his presence at the stop, lacked witnesses, and had acted in bad faith by not first complaining directly to the company. They also claimed he should have taken a taxi to mitigate his losses.

The judge dismissed Dan's arguments, stating Cohen was within his rights to complain to the regulatory body and that passengers are not obligated to immediately incur taxi expenses. The court found the bus company's failure to stop caused not just inconvenience but also lost time and disruption to the passenger's routine.

In addition to the 3,000 shekels for emotional distress, inconvenience, and lost time, Dan was also ordered to reimburse Cohen 300 shekels for court fees. The court noted that while Cohen's claims of violation were valid, the requested compensation amount was excessive and not intended as a penalty.