The huge deficit in the state budget, and the budget cuts in government ministries, do not stop the reform of discounts in public transportation promoted by Minister of Transportation Miri Regev.
According to the draft regulations distributed by the Transportation Ministry today, the reform will take effect in two weeks, on March 25. Officially, the "Transportation Justice" reform is intended to increase travel by public transportation by deepening the incentives for the public to encourage regular travel by providing discounts on the purchase of "monthly free" plans.
However, according to Toyota, the discounts will only be granted to settlements defined as geographically peripheral settlements, in cluster 1-5, with the exception of strong settlements that are ranked in clusters 9-10 in an economic-social index.
This ranking excludes from the list large cities such as Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, and established peripheral settlements such as Kfar Varadim and Omer, but includes settlements such as Kiryat Shmona, Tiberias, Arad, Ofakim, Netivot, Rahat and Be'er Sheva. It is possible that the list will be expanded in the next beat.
Residents of those localities will receive a discount only when purchasing a one-month free arrangement at a discount of only 50%, and not when purchasing a single trip, for example, and all of this subject to presentation of certificates attesting to residency in these areas.
The reform also includes a 33% discount for 18-26 year olds, in order to create travel habits in public transportation, and a full exemption for discharged soldiers and those who have completed national service one year after their release.
In addition, as part of the reform, the benefits provided to the disabled and those entitled to the National Insurance will be expanded, so that in addition to the 50% discount currently given to these populations when purchasing accumulated value, they will be given a 50% discount when purchasing a free monthly arrangement. It should be noted that the prices of public transportation in Israel are relatively low in the world.
Passengers in Israel indicate in studies the frequency and duration of the trip as a factor that bothers them more than the fares. Using the reform budget, amounting to hundreds of millions of shekels to increase the frequency of travel and add new lines, and marking additional public transportation routes, can cause more Israelis to leave their private cars at home and use buses and trains, light and heavy.