Israel comes one step closer to allowing Uber and Lyft on its streets

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation approves a draft bill to advance regulation that would allow rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft to operate in Israel, and lower taxi costs.

The bill brought by Blue and White MK Eitan Ginsburg and Likud MK Moshe Passal seeks to permit shared ride-hailing service companies such as Uber and Lyft to offer services in Israel via phone applications that connect private drivers with passengers. The bill is expected to be advanced in the Knesset for a preliminary reading starting next week.

In recent months, Transportation Minister Miri Regev has been working to allow Uber to enter the Israeli market slated for as early as the beginning of this year. The rideshare giant also provides services like food delivery, freight, and other on-demand mobility options.

The Transportation Ministry says that the draft bill is intended to regulate the operation of ride-hailing transportation services in Israel, including passenger safety issues, driver screening, insurance coverage and monitoring the condition of vehicles, alongside a compensation mechanism support system for the local taxi driver industry as the competing serviced take to the streets.

“Our vision is to move Israel into an era of smart, accessible, and affordable transportation,” says Regev. “Approval of the bill is a historic step that will dismantle old monopolies, reduce road congestion, create thousands of new jobs, and open the market to real competition that will lower the cost of living.”