Israeli Taxi Drivers Demand Free Access to New Express and Public Transit Lanes
The National Taxi Drivers Association in Israel has called on the Ministry of Transportation to allow taxis to use the newly opened express lanes on the Ayalon Highway without paying tolls. Currently, these lanes are reserved exclusively for free shuttles and buses. Additionally, taxi drivers demand that the ministry fulfill its January 2023 promise to permit taxis unrestricted access to all public transportation lanes (bus lanes) nationwide.
Yehuda Bar-Or, chairman of the association, argued that taxis are already on the road and delaying them in traffic only worsens congestion and harms the public transportation service they provide. He questioned the fairness of taxis being stuck in traffic while these lanes remain empty, urging for nationwide access to bus lanes to ensure faster, more available taxi service and preserve the advantage of special taxi rides.
The taxi drivers’ demands were also presented by the Taxi Drivers Union within the Histadrut’s self-employed forum to MK David Bitan, chair of the Knesset Economic Committee. The Ministry of Transportation said it would review the issue. This follows a 2023 commitment by Transportation Minister Merav Cohen (formerly Miri Regev) to consider regulatory changes allowing taxis to use bus lanes currently restricted to them.
At present, the ministry’s policy does not grant taxis blanket permission to use bus lanes; access is limited to specific cases such as vehicles aiding disabled passengers, ambulances, enforcement and maintenance vehicles, and cars with multiple passengers. Taxis may only enter bus lanes when carrying passengers and where signage explicitly permits it. Some bus lanes or segregated routes, like the Metronit, prohibit taxis entirely.
Regarding the new express lanes operated by Netivei Ayalon, all vehicles are currently barred. When private cars are allowed, tolls of 6 to 105 shekels per segment during peak hours will apply, including to taxis. The ministry emphasized that allowing taxis unrestricted access to bus lanes could increase traffic volume, disrupt bus operations, and undermine the lanes’ purpose of improving bus speed and reliability. However, since the express lanes are mostly empty before opening to the public, permitting taxis to use them without tolls could improve infrastructure utilization without causing congestion.
