Commuter Wins 3,000 NIS After Dan Buses Repeatedly Bypass Petah Tikva Stop
A Petah Tikva commuter won 3,000 NIS in damages after suing the Dan bus company for repeatedly bypassing his stop. The court rejected the company's defense and validated the passenger's documented evidence.
A regular public transport commuter in Petah Tikva who documented multiple instances of buses bypassing his stop has won a partial victory in court. Meir Cohen filed a small claims lawsuit against the Dan bus company after line 82 repeatedly failed to stop for him over a three-month period. The Petah Tikva Small Claims Court ruled in his favor, ordering the company to pay 3,000 NIS in compensation.
Documenting the Violations
Cohen, who travels to work in Petah Tikva four times a week, noticed that the bus would regularly drive past the Jabotinsky/HaYetzira station heading toward the city center. Determined to prove his case, he began documenting the incidents, even waiting for other lines and photographing the license plates of the skipping buses. He gathered seven documented events.
Simultaneously, Cohen filed complaints with the National Public Transport Authority. While initial responses were automated, the authority later reviewed Dan's operational data and transferred several cases to administrative enforcement proceedings. The court noted that these supervisory findings provided objective reinforcement for the passenger's claims, dismissing Dan's accusations that Cohen acted in bad faith to enrich himself.
Court Ruling on Damages
Dan argued that Cohen failed to prove he was at the station every time, brought no witnesses, and should have taken a taxi to mitigate damages. The judge rejected these arguments, emphasizing that transport regulations obligate drivers to stop for waiting passengers and that commuters are not required to immediately shoulder taxi fares.
"Failing to stop causes not just momentary discomfort, but a loss of time, trouble, and disruption to the passenger's daily routine, especially when repeated."
Ultimately, the court declined to award the full 30,000 NIS demanded, noting a lack of direct financial loss evidence. However, considering the documented events and the wasted time, the judge ordered Dan to pay 3,000 NIS for emotional distress and inconvenience, plus 300 NIS for court fees.
