A deadly crash occurred Feb. 14 on the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway 1 when an Egged bus heading to Bnei Brak on the 402 line hit a truck parked on the roadside. Six passengers — four men and two women — were killed in the accident and several others were injured. Shortly thereafter, it transpired that the bus driver was a habitual traffic offender and is suspected of trying to obstruct the police investigation by tampering with the bus' monitoring system. Senior Egged staff have been summoned for questioning, leading some to believe that they will be held responsible for the incident.
The accident has rekindled ultra-Orthodox fury at Egged Cooperative, the largest transportation operator in Israel. For years, the ultra-Orthodox have felt that Egged is ignoring their needs and treating them condescendingly, even showing a racist attitude. These feelings were exacerbated by the obituary published by Egged in the ultra-Orthodox press that failed to give the names of the six people killed. A media storm ensued. Knesset member Shelly Yachimovich (Zionist Camp) voiced her protest against Egged in a critical Facebook post titled, "The ultra-Orthodox are human beings, too."
The ultra-Orthodox are heavy users of public transportation. A recent survey by the ultra-Orthodox research institute Seker KaHalacha found that only 35% of ultra-Orthodox households have a private car. The rest get around by public transportation. The 402 line connects the two largest ultra-Orthodox metropolitan centers in Israel — Bnei Brak in the heart of the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area and Jerusalem — and is closely associated with the community. The busiest and most profitable line operated by Egged, it normally runs every 10 minutes, every five during rush hours.
Yet Itzik Brenner, chairman of the public transportation forum of the Jerusalem ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, claims that Egged takes an inconsiderate and condescending approach toward the ultra-Orthodox and their needs, which include not traveling by car on the Sabbath. "I've been dealing with the issue vis-a-vis Egged for 10 years now, and I am in total despair," he told Al-Monitor. "For instance, to date, Egged has made no real effort to adjust its bus timetables to the Sabbath start and end times [which vary with the time of sunset]. The matter could have been solved in no time — but not when it comes to Egged."
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