Kavim

Kavim

The logo of Kavim
Founded	2000; 24 years ago (2000)
Headquarters	Holon, Israel
Service area	Ono Valley Beitar Illit Sharon plain Shfela
Annual ridership	87,200,000[1]
Chief executive	Zion Pat
Website	(Hebrew Website)

Kavim bus on route 112 to Modi'in

Kavim (Hebrew: קווים, "lines") is an Israeli bus company based in Holon. It was founded in 2000 and provided lines in the eastern Gush Dan region - the towns/cities Kiryat Ono, Petah Tikva, Or Yehuda, Givatayim and others. In February 2005, Kavim expanded to the north, where it started providing bus lines in Afula, Bet She'an and the Nazareth area. In 2006, more routes are planned in Petah Tikva and Rosh HaAyin. Many of Kavim's current routes were transferred from the Dan Bus Company. In 2011, the bus company Illit was merged with Kavim. In 2012, Kavim won the tender for the Heshmonaim cluster which includes the cities Ramla, Lod and Modi'in, and the tender for cluster of regional bus routes in the Netanya Hadera area. Kavim started the operate the routes in both clusters in 2013. In 2015, Kavim's bus routes in Afula were transferred to Superbus bus company. In 2017 Kavim won the tender of the Valley of Elah and Beitar Illit cluster that contains routes that Kavim currently operates and few routes of Superbus in the Beit Shemesh area.

Kavim has a fleet of 300 vehicles and a workforce of 450.^[2] Kavim's current chief executive officer is Zion Pat.

Ridership by sector

In 2017, each sector had the following annual ridership:^[1]

Sector	Ridership (in millions)
Lod–Ramla–Modi'in	34.1
Ono Valley and El'ad	23.5
Beitar Illit	18.5
Hadera–Netanya	11.1

Controversies and criticism

Kavim buses waiting at the Kaplan Terminal near the Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva

Kavim's service has often been criticized, especially in Petah Tikva. In April 2008, Avi Blustein, a member of the city council, proposed to create a committee which would inspect Kavim's operations within the city. Kavim responded that Blustein was 'hurting its good reputation out of political considerations'.^[3]

In 2008, a Kavim driver was arrested for dealing drugs on his bus routes. Kavim said in response that this did not reflect the company or its drivers.^[4]

On October 6, 2010, 30 buses belonging to Kavim in Afula were taken out of service following a raid by the police, due to severe safety violations, ranging from broken seats to worn out tires.^[5]

Involvement in Israeli settlements

See also: List of companies operating in West Bank settlements

On 12 February 2020, the United Nations published a database of companies doing business related in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in the occupied Golan Heights.^[6] Kavim was listed on the database on account of its activities in Israeli settlements in these occupied territories,^[7] which are considered illegal under international law.^[8]

References

1. תכנית תחרות ענף התחבורה הציבורית באוטובוסים 2030-2018 שנים [Competition Plan for Bus Public Transportation for Years 2018–2030] (PDF) (Report) (in Hebrew). Israel Ministry of Transport. June 2018. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
2. Hodorov, Irit (2008-06-06). "The Revolution is Already Here". Yediot Petah Tikva (in Hebrew). Yedioth Ahronoth. p. 34.
3. Hakmon, Alon (2008-04-16). "Kavim Moves to the Legal Approach". HaMkomon Petah Tikva, 470th Edition (in Hebrew). p. 42.
4. Ben-Zur, Raanan (August 18, 2008). "Tel Aviv Bus Driver Suspected of Drug Dealing". Ynetnews. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
5. Moshe-David, Ahikam (October 6, 2010). פשיטה על חברת קווים: 30 אוטובוסים הושבתו [Raid on Kavim: Thirty Buses Docked]. nrg Maariv (in Hebrew). Retrieved June 21, 2018.
6. "Database of all business enterprises involved in certain activities relating to Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank (A/HRC/43/71)". UN OCHA. 12 Feb 2020. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
7. "UN rights office issues report on business activities related to settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
8. "S/RES/2334(2016)". United Nations Security Council. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2021.

External links

• Official website (bus routes) (in Hebrew)