On Friday, the Rav Kav smart travel card reform by which bus drivers will no longer load the multi-ride travel cards, will come into effect on Dan company buses in Greater Tel Aviv region, the Ministry of Transport has announced. The change has already been introduced earlier this year in Jerusalem and Beersheva - successfully according to the Ministry of Transport.
Passengers on Dan buses in the Tel Aviv region will be required to pre-load their cards before boarding buses. Rav Kav cards will be loadable online, through a special mobile phone app, and via machines deployed around towns and cities mainly in retail chains (including Super-Pharm, Good Pharm, Tzomet Sefarim, Yeinot Bitan and Dynamica) and at kiosks but also at some heavily-used bus stops. Card loading machines will also be installed on buses on main routes. Payment will be by credit card, or by cash, but change will not be given.
The reasons given for the change are safety, since dealing with cash distracts the driver's attention while driving, and making journey times faster and improving punctuality.
Occasional passengers will be able to buy a one-off ticket on buses for NIS 5.90, but it will not be transferable for additional free rides. Senior citizens will still be allowed to load their Rav Kav cards on buses following complaints from the elderly in Jerusalem. There is a NIS 5 fee for buying the Rav Kav card for the first time.
Rav Kav cards can be used on all the country's buses, Israel Railways and the Jerusalem light rail.
The reform will apply to all the other bus companies operating in the Greater Tel Aviv region from January 18, 2019.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 20, 2018
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