Fines of up to 2,000 shekels: How municipalities profit from drivers
While many drivers continue to illegally enter public transport lanes, enforcement data reveals which authorities collect millions in fines. Meanwhile, most cities with such lanes do not conduct electronic enforcement at all.
Driving in a public transport lane (PTL) without authorization can result in a 500-shekel fine, which may rise to 2,000 shekels for vehicles registered to companies. Although enforcement authority was transferred to local governments in 2015, only five Israeli municipalities currently operate active camera or inspector-based enforcement on these lanes.
According to data prepared for the Or Yarok association and published in 'TheMarker', Tel Aviv leads by a significant margin. In 2025, the municipality collected over 193 million shekels in PTL fines—a 22% increase from the previous year. It is followed by Jerusalem (approx. 72.8 million shekels), Ramat Gan (10.5 million), Herzliya (9.5 million), and Bnei Brak (7.3 million).
Conversely, most authorities with PTLs do not conduct electronic enforcement at all. Cities such as Rishon LeZion, Beersheba, Petah Tikva, Hadera, Beit Shemesh, Hod HaSharon, Ashdod, and Rosh HaAyin report no such activity. Ramle states its lanes are still in a testing phase, while Haifa has announced plans to upgrade to an advanced camera system to enable future enforcement.
Even among cities that do enforce these rules, most recorded a decrease in fines in 2025. Jerusalem saw a 9.2% drop, partly due to fewer cameras and ongoing light rail construction. Herzliya recorded a 31.5% decrease, which the municipality attributes to drivers internalizing the regulations. Bnei Brak reported a 12.5% decline, linked to reduced traffic volume in the area.
Tel Aviv-Yafo currently operates about 75 km of PTLs and uses dedicated cameras to keep private vehicles out. The city plans to expand this network to approximately 138 km by 2030.
"The base fine for unauthorized PTL use is 500 shekels. For vehicles registered to corporations, the fine can reach 2,000 shekels," officials noted.
The State Comptroller recently recommended that the Ministry of Transport strengthen enforcement and consider taking over the process in areas where local authorities fail to act. It was also noted that the Metropolitan Transport Authorities Law, intended to regulate such enforcement, has yet to be finalized in the Knesset.
