The Egged Public Transportation
Co-op is
Israel's leading bus company, and in fact is the world's second largest
public transport line behind
London Transport. Over 4,200 drivers run the fleet of 3,250
MAN,
Volvo and
Mercedes buses, wich carry each day one million passengers on 1,034 urban and inter-urban lines for more than 635,500 kilometers, representing 60% of the country’s public transport use. The company was founded in 1933.
The government determines which routes Egged will take, and also sets the schedule of fares. The government provides a subsidy to the bus company, who must also charge reduced fares to special categories of passengers.
I guess the joke that the company was named after what exactly happens to an Israeli bus when it drives through the Palestinian Territory is a bit stale.