Israel Approves $670 Million Tender for Electric Bus Network in Central Region

A special tender committee within Israel's Public Transport Authority has approved the publication of a tender to select a concessionaire for operating a network of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) electric buses in the Shephelah region. The project is valued at 2.5 billion shekels (approximately $670 million) over ten years.

Natevei Ayalon, the agency managing the project which began in 2025, aims to launch the service by mid-2028. The 30-kilometer network will connect Kiryat Ekron, Rehovot, Ness Ziona, Rishon LeZion, and Tel Aviv, and is expected to serve around 110,000 passengers daily.

The initial phase will include two blue BRT lines: one from the Beilu terminal to the Elifalet/Lohamim area in Rehovot, and another from Beilu terminal to the Shapirim park-and-ride. It will also encompass the western section of a brown line, running from the Tzrifin terminal to the Ha'elef complex in western Rishon LeZion. A future eastern section of the brown line is also planned, alongside complementary routes and extensions of existing lines.

In response to criticism over delays in selecting vehicles, the state will not specify the exact bus model in the tender. Instead, the winning operator will be required to provide vehicles meeting the tender's specifications, necessitating pre-arrangement with electric bus manufacturers. The fleet is expected to include 24-meter articulated buses for the first time in Israel, beyond a current pilot in Haifa.

The concessionaire will receive 40 million shekels annually for service improvements and must invest a similar amount, engaging the public and local authorities. The winning company must also present three design alternatives for the buses, to be chosen by the public and local municipalities. The network's operation will be phased, with the blue and western brown lines expected to begin service in 2028 and full operation by 2029.