Israel Public Transport Firms Accused of Falsifying Data to Avoid Fines

Israel's Ministry of Transport is investigating public transport companies for allegedly manipulating inspection data to avoid financial penalties. A letter from Idan Moalem, director of the National Public Transport Authority, to the CEOs of operating companies, revealed findings of "improper reporting methods" in the inspection and ticketing systems. Moalem stated that passenger complaints, supported by video evidence, showed inspectors repeatedly scanning the same passenger's ticket within seconds, or multiple inspectors checking the same passenger in rapid succession.

Moalem described this pattern as not reflecting "real inspection activity" and contrary to the purpose of oversight and agreement terms. He warned that the ministry would implement deeper checks and continuous computerized verification of all operator reports. "Double samples will be immediately disqualified and will not be recognized in the required sample count for meeting targets," the letter stated, particularly in cases of "unreasonable time proximity."

The Public Transport Forum, representing civil society organizations, welcomed the ministry's actions but called it a symptom of a larger problem. They noted significant discrepancies between passenger experiences and reported data, referencing a recently withdrawn lawsuit against the Ministry of Transport where operators were accused of manipulating performance data. The Forum argued that the current tender system is failing passengers and requires urgent change.

Industry sources attribute the alleged misconduct to the tender system and operating agreements, which set strict targets for inspection and passenger sampling. Failure to meet these quotas results in administrative fines and non-recognition of checks for payment purposes, creating financial pressure to meet targets on paper. The Forum contends that companies are measured on incorrect metrics, such as kilometers driven rather than service quality, leading to a system where everyone loses. They proposed a model similar to European systems, where at least half of compensation is based on service quality, actual passenger boarding, satisfaction surveys, and transparent control metrics, rather than solely on mileage.