Jerusalem, 25 March, 2026 (TPS-IL) — In what the government is calling a “revolution in driver training in Israel,” it is promoting a comprehensive reform of the medical fitness testing system for drivers, which will for the first time allow for the certification of doctors and private medical bodies to perform the tests – instead of the existing model.
The reform is intended to provide an immediate response to the severe shortage of drivers in public transportation and the transportation industry, which is caused, among other things, by long waiting times for medical examinations and a limited distribution of service points.
As part of the move, the service will be provided on a wider distribution throughout the country, waiting times will be significantly shortened, and training procedures for new drivers will be accelerated. In addition, payment for the examinations will be transferred directly to the medical bodies, alongside a reduction in the existing fee.
Alongside this, a transition period of approximately eight months will be set, during which an immediate response will be provided to the public by expanding the scope of existing tests, until the new model is fully implemented.