Lines of Our Identity: New Public Transport Reliability Index
A new public transport reliability index in Israel reveals significant service quality gaps between regions. The study, developed by the '15 Minutes' organization, combines official data with real-time passenger feedback.
In which cities do buses arrive on time, where do they pass by stations without stopping, and where is the lowest level of satisfaction recorded? A new index presents for the first time the map of public transport reliability in Israel and reveals wide gaps in service quality between different regions of the country.
For years, the government has declared that it is working to reduce the gaps between the center and the periphery through extensive investment in public transport. Minister of Transport Miri Regev also set the strengthening of the periphery and the promotion of the 'Connecting Israel' program as one of her central goals, with the aim of improving service quality and encouraging a shift from private car use to public transport. However, the data of the new index, which examines not only dry operational data but also the feeling of passengers on the ground, shows that the gaps between the regions remain significant and that the quality of service is largely influenced by the geographical location of the residents.
The index was developed by the '15 Minutes' organization in collaboration with the company 'HopOn' and with the assistance of the Fund for the Management and Distribution of Funds awarded as relief in class action lawsuits at the Ministry of Justice. This is the first index that combines the official operational data of the Ministry of Transport with direct reports from passengers in real time.
The general score, ranging from 1 to 5, is based on a weighting of 70% official performance data from the BI BUS system, which weighs the Ministry of Transport's databases to check trip completion percentages and actual frequency, alongside 30% passenger reports collected through the BetterBus system in the HopOn app.
The Tel Aviv Cluster in the Lead
The data shows that the regions that received the highest scores are mostly concentrated in the center of the country. The Tel Aviv cluster of the Dan company leads the ranking with a score of 3.82 out of 5. It is followed by the Sharon cluster of the Metropoline company with 3.56, the Sharon-Holon cluster of Merhavim with 3.35, the urban Jerusalem cluster of the Egged company with 3.29, and the urban Ashdod cluster of Electra Afikim with 3.18.
On the other hand, the lowest scores were recorded in regions characterized by operational complexity and heavy traffic congestion: the North Jerusalem cluster of the Extra Jerusalem company received the lowest score, only 1.82. The Jerusalem Envelope cluster of Electra Transportation received a score of 1.92.
The Success of Light Rail
The index also examined means of transport operating on rail or dedicated infrastructure only. These means showed a significantly high level of reliability: the Carmelit in Haifa received a score of 5.0, the light rail in Jerusalem received a score of 4.8, the Red Line of the light rail in Gush Dan received a score of 4.7, and the Rachbalit in Haifa received a score of 4.6.
"The success of travel reliability in vehicles like the Metronit and the light rail proves that investment in infrastructure that creates reliability in schedules is critical," notes Sivan Shmuelovitz, CEO of the '15 Minutes' organization. "To rebuild public trust, the Ministry of Transport must add kilometers of continuous public transport lanes and priority mechanisms for buses at traffic lights."
