אנו מבקשים מעיריית חיפה להצטרף לסידור הנוכחי עם משרד התחבורה ולתת לנוסעים בכרמלית את האפשרות לנסיעה חוזרת או להמשיך עם אגד או המטרונית תוך 90 דקות על אותו כרטיס. היום כרטיס המעבר של אגד והמטרונית עולה 6.90 ש"ח אבל עם הכרמלית, עלות הנסיעה הוא 13.80 ש"ח. אם אתם רוצים את השינוי, נא להצטרף ולחתום כאן.

Petition to The City of Haifa in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport to reconsider the conditions of the regular, adult fare on the Carmelit.

The Carmelit is the only transport system in Haifa where a ticket does not have a 90 minute validity and cannot be transferred and used for a return journey on the Carmelit or transfer to Egged or the Metronit for the same price within 90 minutes. The cost of a regular ticket on the Carmelit is 6.90 - the same as the bus - yet we do not have the same privileges. In fact if we made a return journey on the bus or Metronit, within 90 minutes, it would cost 6.90 instead of 13.80 NIS - the current Carmelit rate.

The Carmelit is a convenient transport option for many reasons and for many people however, with the current ticketing system, a regular Carmelit ticket is the most expensive public transport option in Haifa. The City should be encouraging its residents to use this service but instead they are forcing us to use other, cheaper, public transport options.

We have put together a petition and we are asking Haifa residents or anyone who uses the Carmelit or supports our cause to sign the petition requesting the same privileges we have on the City's other public transport services - a 90 minute window for a return journey on the Carmelit which can also be transferred to Egged or the Metronit within that 90 minute window.

EXTRA INFORMATION

The Carmelit is a very convenient mode of transport and drastically cuts traveling time from the Carmel to Haifa's Downtown by half.  Currently there is only ONE direct bus from the Central Carmel to the Downtown area, Bus Route no. 3.  The estimated non-peak hour, traveling time of this section of the route is 22 minutes which leaves one with more than an hour to make a return journey for the same 6.90 Shekels.

The lack of a 90 minute window on the Carmelit makes it is very expensive transport option.

For students, pensioners are other sectors of the community who benefit from discounted tickets, this is possibly less of an issue.  For people who work in the Carmel, Hadar or Downtown and whose traveling expenses are covered by their employers, this is also less of an issue.  However for anyone who does not fit into the above categories; new immigrants, stay at home parents, the unemployed or the financially distressed, and anyone living on a very tight budget, this is a big issue.

In effect, the regular Carmelit traveler is paying double for the same return journey. Having to pay 13.80 NIS in the Carmelit is causing people, who rely solely on public transport, to travel by bus instead.  They will continue to do so as long as catching the bus is half the price.

The main purpose of the Carmelit is to provide fast, effective transport along the Carmel, Hadar, Downtown route.  Buses traveling along that route, or on part of it, are crowded with passengers. Standing room only on these routes is quite common but it is very dangerous. The Carmelit cuts traveling time by half and it offers a safe and comfortable journey. The City should be encouraging its residents to use the Carmelit and not in effect forcing its residents to do the opposite because it is more expensive.

Amongst others,  signatories to this petition come from Haifa's immigrant communities as well as veteran Haifa'im, foreign workers, members of the expat communities as well as supporters from other parts of Israel and the world who agree that this should be implemented.

We are asking The City of Haifa to make a fair system and reconsider the conditions of a regular, adult fare on the Carmelit. We request the same privileges we have on the City's other public transport services.