Rav Kav - How to Get an Anonymous Bus Ticket and Get Organised!

If you read my previous post about the problems associated with the Rav Kav public transportaion card in Israel, you'll notice I posted a solution suggested by some friends. Today we were able to implement the solution and it worked!

To recap: Your Rav Kav ticket will allow you to purchase a variety of city and inter-city tickets. There's a catch though! The machine used to scan the card never knows which ticket to scan - and may well scan the wrong ticket costing you extra money! Certainly - it is the duty of the driver to code into his machine which ticket to take, but I've found most drivers to be unpleasant about this and even insulted when I've asked them to select the right ticket. This has resulted in an actual loss of money for me having had the wrong ticket "punched" numerous times! I've complained to Egged (with no response) and to Illit Kavim (having had them refund me ₪20 once) but the bottom line is that the problem still exists. It surprises me that the managers running the Rav Kav operation - no doubt qualified MBA's, honours, masters or Phd qualified B.Com graduates or even possibly CA's have no understanding of the issues facing the true problem of the card - but such is it.

So here's what will practically happen: You use your Rav Kav for a city ticket, an inter-city ticket and a combined ticked which is cheaper (when it works!) for travel between and within another city too! However, when the driver chooses to use a regular city ticket when you've already selected the combined ticked - you'll be charged more than double the amount as the computer will deduct both inter-city i.e. two tickets, then city - and then when you try to use the intercity on return you find that an extra ticket was deducted in the city - with you now losing two additional tickets for the inter-city ticket! 

If you don't follow that - the summary is that the machine that scans the ticket has no way of knowing which ticket you want to use. The driver may have an ego not wanting to let you use the one you want to, and you finding yourself at a loss of two or more tickets - wasted!

In the old days we used paper tickets which allowed us to have control of which ticket to use. But without the individual tickets, we can no longer keep track of what the driver and scanning machine are doing to the Rav Kav!

The solution: Get yourself a separate Rav Kav for every journey you make that requires a different ticket! I don't remember this being available at the start of the Rav Kav with their rules allowing only one ticket - but I see this is no longer applicable!

All you need to do is to go in to the main Egged bus station (Jerusalem), floor 3 - and ask for an anonymous Rav Kav. You can get as many as you like for the price of ₪5. It may cost something - but you'll be saving a fortune due to not having to deal with problematic bus drivers, Rav Kav machines and the tremendous stress you will experience having to explain to the driver how the Rav Kav actually does work - or finding out just how much you have lost due to drivers not using the machine correctly! Do'n't forget to label your cards so you know which ticket is on which card.

It's easy to do! Never ask the drivers for this anonymous Rav Kav ticket on the bus (though they should have) because they never have - forcing you to hope and pray that the next bus arriving will have. Just go in to the Egged bus station directly - a once off - get your additional Rav Kav's - and you're all set for an honest and stress free public transportation experience! BeHatzlacha - and a big thank you to those who helped me to sort this all out!

Light-Rail Nightmare - A Tip for Moms with Babies in Strollers

Yesterday there was a light-rail disaster / nightmare (סיוט - "Siyut"). The purpose of this post is not to highlight the disaster, but to concentrate on what we - the public - need to do to take better care of ourselves in being prepared for... anything!

A mom with her 18 month old baby in stroller boarded the light-rail. Only thing is that the mother pushed the stroller with baby inside it onto the light-rail before ascending herself. The driver was "doing his job" (sic) and apparently did not have time to wait for the mother to get on, and closed the doors just a moment after the stroller (with baby inside) was "safely" on-board! Though passengers began shouting at the driver to open the doors and let the mother on, he replied that it was not his concern and that he could not wait any longer - he had a job to do and was doing it by continuing the journey of the light-rail.

One can only imagine the devastation the mother was experiencing at the moment as she wondered what would be with her child. Though the driver refused to give his name, people did photograph him and we can assume those on the rail would report the incident with photographs in hand! 

The seriousness of this story should awaken us all to further possible measures we must take in safeguarding our children and our possessions. Perhaps it would be a good idea for all moms to stitch in to their strollers an identity tag with at least a phone number on it, should her stroller (with baby in it) go missing. Just imagine this for a moment - passengers on the light-rail had no way of tracking down the mom to get the baby back to her again. Remember for a moment, an 18 month old baby does not know his phone number, address or even names of his parents other than Abba and Imma. Advertising in the papers or the like, that the baby had been found may not work either as it is also possible that many people could claim the child as theirs. It would take identifying marks etc. to prove who the real mother is - as the baby would be unable (via ordinary speech) to let others know who it's mother is. I have no doubt that with enough time they would succeed in putting it all together, but the frustration for the mother would be unbearable. 

Moms: Consider either stitching or at least attaching an identifying label with a contact number onto the stroller and a bracelet on baby's arm with contact info, rather like a medic-alert bracelet. It may not necessarily have to include your name, address or any other personal details (which may lead to further problems!) But a contact number will at least offer a minimum aid for others to be able to return the child easily should something like this ever happen.

Remember: Public transport in Israel has its advantages! It does not mean that drivers will not be closing doors on you (often causing injury!) or refusing to let you on, or simply not stopping the bus when they should. Unfortunately it has become the responsibility of the passenger to look out for themselves in all these matters. 

Take care! When boarding a bus or other public transport, watch carefully as you board to see if the door is closing on you. Be at the bus stop a few minutes before to make sure you have the best chance of boarding without missing your bus or being caught in the doors. Be prepared to disembark when the bus stops rather than have to deal with shouting at the driver - and again possibly having the doors closed on you or separating from others you are traveling with.

The bus company and probably light rail company will usually favour the side of the driver in almost every instance! When using a bus ticket that is to be punched, check the driver as he punches it. He will often punch the wrong side (when using combination tickets) or click more than once thinking you have boarded with someone else etc. It is the passengers duty to check all these things and be responsible for himself. Don't leave your ticket in your shirt pocket before doing the laundry! Bus companies have no sympathy and even if the ticket looks only slightly marred, drivers will refuse to accept them! The bus company will not reimburse you or offer another ticket for the now-unusable ticket!

Be prepared for anything - and most of all, take care of your own health and security, and the health and security of your family - and all those around you!

נסיעה טובה - "Nesiah Tova" - Have a Great Journey - as they say!

Changes to the Bus Routes

 If you have been to Israel and especially to Jerusalem in the past and think you know your way around, you are in for a big surprise. The latest bus changes will raise your eye brows and bring question marks to the fore.

Many buses are being discontinued and being replaced by others. New numbers, new routes, its all about change. 

Don't find yourself confused or waiting for a bus that no longer runs. You can go into the Central Bus Station (Tachane Mercazit) and obtain your new bus schedule. Be sure to find out too which roads are as they were and which roads are being uplifted to make way for yet another train line.