Public transportation costs across Israel saw a 12% spike on Tuesday without any advance warning from the Transportation Ministry.
This change was implemented for app users only and is set to come into effect for Rav Kav users on August 1, according to Israeli business news outlet TheMarker.
Per a report in Calcalist, the ministry did inform transportation companies of the impending change two weeks before its implementation. The report also stated that the price increase is a result of inflation.
The price increase was reportedly initially scheduled for July 1 but was delayed following an agreement between the Finance and Transportation ministries.
According to Ynet, this change was originally approved by the previous government and approved by former transportation minister Merav Michaeli and former finance minister Avigdor Liberman. What is more, the current finance and transportation ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Miri Regev, reportedly met several times in recent weeks in an attempt to prevent the price hike before it happened but were unable to come to a solution before it came into effect.
Tel Aviv light rail
This change comes as the long-awaited Tel Aviv light rail is undergoing final preparations before becoming fully operational.
The red line of the light rail, the only line ready as of yet, will travel between Petah Tikva to Bat Yam, running through Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak, and Ramat Gan.
The Transportation Ministry refused a request for comment.