The operators of the country's only toll road, Highway 6, have been ordered to provide itemized bills - without charge.
The Haifa District Court ruled this week that Derekh Eretz Highways, the operators of Israel's north-south Highway 6, has been in violation of the law by charging a fee for itemized bills.
Motorists traveling along the highway, which runs from Wadi Ara (east of Hadera) in the north to just south of Kiryat Gat, are billed based on their entry and departure points. The drive on each section, approximately 10 kilometers long, costs 3.55 shekels. Special video cameras photograph the vehicles' license plates as they enter and leave the highway; frequent travelers' cars are identified by electronic sensors.
Periodic bills sent to the motorists currently list only the license number being billed, the number of trips taken, and the total amount billed. Bills that are not paid on time draw fines.
Want to Know More? Pay!
A customer who wishes to know what he is paying for is required to show up in person at a Derekh Eretz office, identify himself, and pay 2.11 shekels for each itemization he orders.
Though the situation appeared to patently unfair, it was only accountant David Porat who finally began legal proceedings against Derekh Eretz, back in 2005. Only now, three years later, has the ruling he sought been handed down.
Justice is Served
Justice Shulamit Wasserkrug ruled that Derekh Eretz had taken advantage of wording in the Toll Road Law to refuse to supply free itemizations, and that this was against Income Tax regulations and illegal. She stated that the company has a legal obligation, like every other business, to supply detailed bills without charge.
Judge Wassekrug had harsh criticism for Derekh Eretz, the legally-authorized Appeals Committee, and the income tax authorities for their foot-dragging on this issue. Porat had been sent back and forth between these bodies numerous times before finally having his claim redressed in the courts.
It is not clear whether Derekh Eretz will now have to send itemizations by mail, or just provide them upon demand at their offices. Nor is it clear whether it will end up having to refund the monies it collected for itemizations up until now.
Avoiding the Traffic Jams
Highway 6 is currently 122 kilometers long, with work continuing on additional sections in both the north and south. It is planned to reach from the Shlomi-Nahariya area in the north, to the Netivot area in the Negev. The highway will revert to state ownership after 30 years of operation, after the builders have had a chance to earn profits on their five-billion shekel investment in its construction and operation.