The "Na'im Besofash" free Friday night/Saturday bus service in the Greater Tel Aviv area is expanding to Yehud-Monosson. The city to the east of Tel Aviv near Ben Gurion airport has 30,000 residents and joins Ramat Hasharon, Kiryat Ono, Givatayim and Tel Aviv itself where the Sabbath service has been operating since November.
Buses will commence running through Yehud on Friday January 17 as part of a new weekend route between Tel Aviv and Shoham. The bus service will collect Yehud residents along Road 461 and won't actually enter the city thus providing a public transport solution for residents while not disturbing Shabbat vfor religious residents.
Yehud-Monosson mayor Yaela Machlis said, "When Tel Aviv Municpality proposed that we join the venture that is strengthening throughout the Greater Tel Aviv region, I examined the topic from every direction. I understood that the service would go ahead on the same route even if we did not participate. It can help young people going out to spend the night in Tel Aviv get back safely. The bus route won't enter the city and will make four stops along Road 461.
Nearly two months into operations, the "Na'im Besofash" public transport service make 680 journeys each weekend, calls at over 500 bus stops and carries 10,000 passengers, the Tel Aviv Municpality, which leads the venture, reports. Demand has been far higher than expected with 10% of the venture's mini-buses replaced by large buses.
