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{{Infobox public transit
| image = The metronit.jpg
| native_name = {{Script/Hebrew|מטרונית}}, {{Script/Hebrew|مترونيت}}
| locale = [[Haifa]] and the [[Krayot]]
| transit_type = [[Bus rapid transit]]
| lines = 5
| stations = 152
| daily_ridership = 92,000 (May 2015)
| annual_ridership = 30 million (2014–2015 year)
| website = http://www.metronit.co.il
| began_operation = August 2013
| operator = Dan North (2013–2021), 
[[Superbus (company)|Superbus]] (2021–current)
| vehicles = 120
| system_length = {{convert|60|km|mi|abbr=on}}
}}

[[Image:Inside the Metronit - 1.JPG|thumb|right|upright|Inside the old Metronit]]
The '''Metronit''' ({{langx|he|מטרונית}}, {{langx|ar|مترونيت}}), also spelled '''Matronit''', is a [[bus rapid transit]] (BRT) system in [[Haifa]], [[Israel]].

Two Metronit lines, line 1 and 5א, operate during the weekend, or [[Sabbath]], i.e. on Friday and Saturday,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://anglo-list.com/general-3/transport-18/haifa-metronit |title= Haifa Metronit - Anglo-List - Israel Lifestyle, Aliyah & Relocation|website=anglo-list.com |access-date=1 May 2019}}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}</ref> which is almost unique in Israel – as of 2022, only in a handful of cities in Israel, [[Haifa]] among them, do public buses also offer service on Sabbath.

== Overview ==

=== Name ===
The name, ''Metronit'', was among some 500 suggestions submitted by the public in a prize-winning competition.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|script-title=he:מי יודע מה זה 'מטרונית'? בחיפה יודעים|url = http://www.inn.co.il/News/News.aspx/154248|website = ערוץ 7|access-date = 2015-10-25|trans-title = Who knows what 'Metronit' is? Haifa knows|language = he|date = 2006-09-05}}</ref> ''Metronit'' was chosen for several reasons. The name itself was deemed to be easily expressed, catchy and unique.<ref name=":0" /> The Hebrew word, "Matronit" - meaning "respectable woman" or "lady" in Hebrew<ref>{{Cite news|script-title=he:בין אוטובוס לרכבת קלה התפשרו על "מטרונית"|url = http://www.haaretz.co.il/1.1465616|website = הארץ|access-date = 2015-10-26|date = 2007-12-17|language = he|last = Eyadat|first = Fadi}}</ref> - was felt to convey a feeling of elegance and respectability. The prefix "Metro-" implies an efficient [[Metropolis|metropolitan]] rapid transportation system; the trailing "-it" is in line with Haifa's existing [[Carmelit]] [[funicular]] [[Subway (rail)|subway]], the [[Rakavlit|Rakvalit]] cable cars, and the ''Shkhunatit'' internal neighbourhood [[minibus]] system.<ref name=":0" />

=== Vehicles ===
The Metronit consists of 120 18.75-meter long high-capacity buses on three routes, with a capacity of 120-140 passengers per bus. Some of the buses operate with [[Hybrid vehicle|hybrid]] engines (six [[Phileas (public transport)|Phileas]] buses manufactured by APTS) and are currently being evaluated for more widespread use. The rest of the buses are conventional [[MAN Lion's City]] GL Diesel powered buses. The network is a total of {{convert|60|km|mi|abbr=on}} in length - of which {{convert|40|km|mi|abbr=on}} are dedicated roadways.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Haifa-to-get-new-Metronit-Bus-Rapid-Transit-system-by-2011|title=Haifa to get new 'Metronit' Bus Rapid Transit system by 2011|website=Jpost.com|date=7 September 2009 |access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref>

The Metronit is unique in Israel in that it uses [[bi-articulated bus]]es on specific routes. The choice of this mode of transport was due to the advantage of limited damage to the environment during construction,{{vague|date=November 2021}} increased capacity on existing roads, and reduced operating costs compared to a standard [[bus]] or [[light rail]] line.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

=== Construction ===
The Metronit project was developed by [[Yefe Nof (company)|Yefe Nof]], a company owned by the City of Haifa which is involved in planning public transportation, infrastructure, and other building projects in the Haifa metropolitan area. A tender for its operation was published in September 2009 with the original intention that the system be completed by Fall 2012. On August 4, 2010, it was announced that [[Dan Bus Company|Dan]] won the tender to operate the system for 12 years. The cost of the system is estimated at 1.5 billion [[Israeli New Sheqel|NIS]] (approximately $400 million US).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calcalist.co.il/local/articles/0,7340,L-3413717,00.html|title=Dan Wins Tender for Operating the Haifa Metronit|date=August 4, 2010|website=Calcalist.co.il|access-date=2010-08-04|language=he}}</ref><!--this section fails to mention what was actually constructed-->

=== Commencement of operations ===
[[File:MetStation.png|thumb|260px|Metronit station in Sprinzak neighborhood]]
The Metronit began testing on August 2, 2013, and passenger operations commenced on August 16, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170984#.Um3vC4zD-M8|title=Haifa Launches 'Metronit' System|date=August 16, 2013|publisher=Calcalist|access-date=2013-10-28}}</ref> As the first BRT system in Israel, there were initially many operational problems, caused mainly by a lack of priority at traffic lights, insufficient bus drivers and more passengers than anticipated. To promote the service, there was initially a period of free ridership<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.walla.co.il/?w=//2670525|title=המטרונית בחיפה החלה לפעול, הנסיעה בה - ללא תשלום - וואלה! חדשות|website=News.walla.co.il|date=16 August 2013 |access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref> that ended on December 23, 2013.

In May 2015, the daily ridership on the Metronit was 92,000 – with a total of 30 million passengers using the system in the first year.<ref name="ynet-year">{{cite news|url=http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4663310,00.html|title=Metronit Closes First Year: 30 Million Passengers|work=[[Ynet]]|date=May 31, 2015|access-date=June 13, 2015|language=he}}</ref>

In October 2021, [[Superbus (company)|Superbus]] took over operations of Metronit from Dan North.

==Lines==
There are currently five Metronit lines. The first operates from the [[Krayot Central Bus Station]] to [[Hof HaCarmel Railway Station|Hof HaCarmel]]. The second from [[Kiryat Ata]] to [[Haifa Bat Galim railway station|Bat Galim]]. The third from [[Krayot Central Bus Station]] to [[Hadar HaCarmel]]. The fourth operates like the first line, but runs via the [[Carmel Tunnels]] instead of HaHagana boulevard unlike the first line. And the fifth operates from [[Yagur]] to [[Hadar HaCarmel]], on weekends, a different route labeled 5א operates to [[Haifa Bat Galim railway station|Bat Galim]] instead.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Line
<!-- ! Designation -->
! Length
! Towns served
<!-- ! Opening year -->
! Route description
! Number of<br/>stations
! Frequency
! Approx. journey time<br/>(end to end)
! Average<br/>speed<!--calculated from line length and journey time-->
<!-- ! תמונת המסלול -->
|-
| style="background: red; text-align: center" | '''{{color|white|Red&nbsp;Line}}'''<br/><small>{{color|white|(Line&nbsp;1)}}</small>
<!-- | Line 1 -->
| style="text-align: center" | {{cvt|25|km}}
| [[Kiryat&nbsp;Motzkin]], [[Haifa]]
<!-- | 2013 -->
| From [[Krayot Central Bus Station|Krayot Central]] (in north Kiryat Motzkin), via [[Route 4 (Israel)|Route 4]], Histradrut Way, [[HaMifratz Central Bus Station|HaMifratz Central]], and Downtown Haifa to [[Hof HaCarmel Railway Station|Hof HaCarmel]]
| style="text-align: center" | 38
| Every 4–8 minutes (06:00–20:00), every 10–20 minutes (20:00–05:00 and on Shabbat).<br/>Operates 24/7.
| style="text-align: center" | 65 minutes
| style="text-align: center"| {{cvt|23.1|km/h}}
<!-- | [[קובץ:P2 1277724570.jpg|300px]] -->
|-
| style="background: blue; text-align: center"| '''{{color|white|Blue&nbsp;Line}}'''<br/><small>{{color|white|(Line&nbsp;2)}}</small>
<!-- | Line 2 -->
| style="text-align: center" | {{cvt|18|km}}
| [[Kiryat&nbsp;Ata]], [[Haifa]]
<!-- | 2013 -->
|From [[Kiryat Ata]] to [[Haifa–Bat Galim railway station|Bat Galim]] via Route 4, Histradrut Way, HaMifratz Central, and Downtown Haifa
| style="text-align: center" | 33
| Every 6–10 minutes (peak hours), every 12–30 minutes (off-peak)<br/>(no night or Shabbat service)
| style="text-align: center" | 52 minutes
| style="text-align: center"| {{cvt|20.8|km/h}}
<!-- | [[קובץ:P2 1277724535.jpg|300px]] -->
|-
| style="background: green; text-align: center" | '''{{color|white|Green&nbsp;Line}}'''<br/><small>{{color|white|(Line&nbsp;3)}}</small>
<!-- | Line 3 -->
| style="text-align: center" | {{cvt|16|km}}
| [[Kiryat&nbsp;Yam]], [[Kiryat&nbsp;Haim]], [[Kiryat Shmuel, Haifa|Kiryat&nbsp;Shmuel]], [[Haifa]]
<!-- | 2013 -->
| From Krayot Central, via [[Kiryat Yam]], [[Kiryat Haim]], [[Kiryat Shmuel, Haifa|Kiryat Shmuel]], Histradrut Way, HaMifratz Central to HaNev'im Street in [[Hadar HaCarmel]]
| style="text-align: center" | 30
| Every 10 minutes (peak hours), every 12–60 (off-peak)<br/>(no night or Shabbat service)
| style="text-align: center" | 50 minutes
| style="text-align: center"| {{cvt|19.2|km/h}}
|-
| style="background: purple; text-align: center" | '''{{color|white|Purple&nbsp;Line}}'''<br/><small>{{color|white|(Line&nbsp;4)}}</small>
<!-- | Line 4 -->
| style="text-align: center" | {{cvt|21|km}}
| [[Kiryat&nbsp;Motzkin]], [[Haifa]]
<!-- | 2022 -->
| From Krayot Central, via [[Haifa Bay central bus station|HaMifratz Central]], [[Carmel Tunnels]] to [[Hof HaCarmel Railway Station|Hof HaCarmel]]
| style="text-align: center" | 23
| Every 6–10 minutes<br/>(no night or Shabbat service)
| style="text-align: center" | 28 minutes
| 
|-
| style="background: orange; text-align: center" | '''{{color|white|Orange&nbsp;Line}}'''<br/><small>{{color|white|(Line&nbsp;5/5{{script/Hebrew|א}})}}</small>
<!-- | Line 5/5א -->
| style="text-align: center" | {{cvt|22|km}}/<br/>{{cvt|14|km}}
| [[Yagur]], [[Nesher]], [[Haifa]]
<!-- | 2022 -->
|5: From Yagur Terminal, via [[Nesher]], to [[Hadar HaCarmel]]<br/>5{{script/Hebrew|א}}: From Yagur Terminal, via [[Nesher]], Downtown Haifa, to [[Haifa–Bat Galim railway station|Bat Galim]]
| style="text-align: center" | 15/23
| 5: Every 7–12 minutes<br/>(no night or Shabbat service)<br/>5{{script/Hebrew|א}}: Every 20–30 minutes<br/>(on weekends instead of route 5)
| style="text-align: center" | 45/32 minutes
| 
|}

{{Metronit line 1}}
{{Metronit line 2}}

==See also==
* [[Carmelit]]
* [[Cable cars in Haifa (disambiguation)|Haifa Cable Car]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://metronit.co.il/en/ Metronit official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110721141238/http://www.yefenof.co.il/index.php?m_id=41&if_link=0 Yefeh Nof profile of the project] {{in lang|he}}
* [http://www.inn.co.il/News/News.aspx/154248 News report about choosing the name] {{in lang|he}}

{{Urban public transport in Israel}}
{{Transportation in Israel}}

[[Category:Bus rapid transit]]
[[Category:Transport in Haifa]]
[[Category:Public transport in Israel]]