Background

Currently, all Egged Mehadrin public buses travelling north-bound on route 4 to Bnei Brak use the Bar Ilan University (BIU) bus stop on the route 4 service road as an express bus lane to avoid traffic jam on main highway. Buses re-enter route 4 directly after the BIU bus stop (access limited to public transportation).

No one claims there is currently any logistics reason for these buses not to drop-off or pick-up passengers at BIU.

After MoT ignored request to add BIU bus stop to all Egged Mehadrin routes,  petitioners asked  the District Court to force MoT to add BIU bus stop onto these public buses.

District Court Ruling

Judge side stepped the issue (point 5 of ruling) that there is currently no logistics reason for all public buses to stop at BIU. Judge’s ruling focused entirely on historical cancelling of BIU bus stop on Rehovot and Beit Shemesh routes. Judge ruled that this was ligitimate as vast majority of those using these lines did not get off at BIU, Judge saw no reason to discuss current situation on any of the bus lines.

Ramifications

Judge in effect did not challenge accepted practice that Egged Mehadrin bus lines by-pass major bus stops that would enable non-Haredi population to use these buses.