A confrontation early Monday morning between a bus driver for Kavim and a private shuttle driver triggered major disruptions to public transport in Modi'in Illit. The incident took place around 8:00 a.m. at the intersection of Mesilat Yosef and Hatham Sofer streets in the city.
According to reports, a passenger in the shuttle called police and allegedly claimed the bus driver was a “terrorist,” prompting officers to arrive quickly and detain the bus driver. After the incident, Kavim drivers held an emergency meeting in the company’s parking lot in Modi'in Illit, and the company then stopped operating public transportation in the city.
Passengers reported long waits at bus stops and widespread service disruptions. The driver committee was also involved in the incident and in the steps taken afterward, amid claims by drivers of abusive treatment toward one of the company’s employees.
Kavim said, “Due to an act of violence against one of the company’s drivers, there are severe disruptions in public transportation operations in Modi'in Illit. We apologize for the inconvenience and are making every effort to return to normal service as soon as possible.” As of now, Kavim service in the city is still not running normally, and the company is continuing talks in an effort to restore full operations.
