Bus service was in a state of chaos here today as 1,500 workers and drivers of the Dan bus cooperative struck to pretest the dismissal of 400 among them in a dispute over fare increases.
The city’s transit troubles began Monday night when the bus cooperative demanded a 40 percent increase in fares and the Transit Fare Authority responded with a tentative offer of an eight percent increase. The Authority scheduled a further meeting tonight to consider the fare demands as further disruptions in bus service were threatened.
Israel’s three bus companies announced they would start a shutdown tomorrow morning over the fare deadlock, “if the Authority gives in to Government pressure” against meeting their fare boost demands.
Government officials in turn began preparing emergency plans to operate the buses if the companies do halt service. Emergency headquarters were set up in the Transport Ministry and officials began making plans, their nature undisclosed, to operate the vehicles. It was reported that the Transport Ministry was determined not to yield to the bus companies and that it was prepared to face a lengthy halt in transport services.
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