Government Unveils Comprehensive Plan for Freight Logistics in Israel

The Ministry of Transportation, in collaboration with Netivei Israel, has unveiled a comprehensive new plan for the movement of goods and cargo in Israel. This strategic initiative, the first of its kind, is designed to bring about a profound change in the logistics sector and to address the challenges of congestion, safety, and costs in the economy.

The plan was formulated by an inter-ministerial committee established in August 2020, led by the Director of the Vehicle Supervision and Control Department at the Ministry of Transportation, and managed by Netivei Israel.

The movement of goods is a backbone of the Israeli economy, but alongside its contribution to business activity and daily life, it generates significant external annual costs, amounting to about 8 billion NIS due to traffic congestion, about 1.5 billion NIS from road accidents, about 1.5 billion NIS from air pollution, and about 1 billion NIS from infrastructure damage.

The Ministry of Transportation noted that the new plan was formulated to provide a comprehensive, in-depth, and practical response to these challenges, integrating four main directions of action.

The first factor, upgrading and developing infrastructures, will include the establishment of truck inspection bays, rest areas and organized night parking lots, expansion of rail connections for cargo transportation, and upgrading road sections with crawling lanes and bypass bays.

The second factor, smart technologies, will include the integration of smart enforcement systems for weighing in motion, preventing bridge hits, pilots for electric trucks, and the operation of autonomous truck convoys (Platooning).

The third factor refers to innovative information systems, and will include the digitization of cargo bills, bridge data mapping, monitoring polluting vehicles, and promoting platforms for sharing transportations, given that about 40% of trucks in Israel travel empty.

Finally, the fourth factor refers to policy changes and processes, and will include diverting truck traffic to night hours while creating reward mechanisms, establishing logistics exchange centers at city entrances, adapting the European regulation for the transport of dangerous goods (ADR), and re-examining the weight and dimension restrictions of trucks in Israel alongside infrastructure strengthening.

The Ministry of Transportation is convinced that the plan is expected to improve road safety, reduce transportation times, and lower transportation costs. The move is expected to directly impact the reduction of the cost of living in Israel.

Transportation and Road Safety Minister, Miri Regev, commented on the matter, saying that the movement of goods is a central link in the economy, but the gap between the pace of infrastructure development and their adaptation to market needs has become a serious problem. 'Reducing congestion and lowering the cost of goods transportation will translate directly into more comfortable prices for the citizens of Israel. We see transportation as an economic lever for reducing the cost of living and improving the quality of life of the citizen.'

The Director-General of the Ministry of Transportation, Moshe Ben Zaken, added 'We look forward and see a smart, advanced, and safe logistics system. The plan is another milestone in building an advanced, reliable, and efficient transportation system.'

It should be noted that the budget details for implementation, timetables, and expected stages in the plan have not yet been published.