The Transportation Ministry informed Walla that there would be no changes in public transport, even during the hours in which the curfew is in effect. This means that a resident of a red city could take a bus within the city or even to another city during the curfew.
A ministry official clarified that the issue was still under discussion since canceling public transport involves legal issues. Cancelling the lines partially or changing the routes could lead to bus operators requesting compensation from the government, according to Walla.
Yesh Atid MK Boaz Toporovsky raised an urgent query at the Knesset plenum to the ministry concerning regulations, restrictions and arrangements for public transport in red cities.
"The Transportation Ministry must act and protect the health of bus drivers during this period, and especially in the red cities," the Bus Drivers' Union told Walla.
The union called on the ministry to allow only buses that have a partitioned driver's seat or ones that only allow alighting from the back doors to service red cities.
"Bus drivers know how to provide service at any time, place, but it is inconceivable that the drivers will be abandoned and endanger their health and the health of their families," the union said. "We trust [Transportation] Minister [Miri] Regev and the director general of her office that they will know how to provide a quick and quality response to the issue of public transportation in the red cities."