Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav has launched a determined effort to combat drivers from the Wolt food delivery company, following continuous complaints of reckless and dangerous driving by the couriers on motorcycles and scooters in the city.
During a meeting with senior Wolt representatives, the municipality presented testimonies and statistics regarding delivery drivers committing serious traffic offenses such as driving on sidewalks and crosswalks, running red lights, and concealing license plates.
The Haifa Municipality launched an enforcement operation with the local police. Over the weekend, delivery drivers were detained across the city, and dozens of traffic tickets were written for dangerous driving. At the same time, inspectors from the city's beaches department inspected couriers who passed through the city's beaches.
In addition to the enforcement measures, the Haifa Municipality is also considering legal steps that would impede Wolt's operations in the city, including ways to prevent its operations through the business licensing laws. Mayor Yona Yahav expressed his fury that, despite a previous meeting with the company, the reckless driving situation has not changed. He added, "I no longer believe the company leadership's promises, and I'm not buying their explanations; all they care about is earning money. The lives of the residents are more important than any business convenience."
City CEO David Luria also expressed disappointment over the continued lawlessness and made it clear to Wolt that if it does not halt the dangerous activity of its couriers in the city, the municipality will act decisively.
Wolt said in a statement: “We welcome the municipality’s enforcement operations against reckless driving and would be happy to cooperate on the matter, as we proposed at a meeting last week. Safe driving is our top priority, and every day we terminate engagements with couriers who drive unsafely. We have formulated a dedicated and comprehensive safety plan that will be fully implemented. Even during complex security periods, under rocket fire, we did not leave Haifa, and we will not leave it now. Wolt operates and will continue to operate in Haifa in accordance with the law, serving hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses, providing employment opportunities for young people, and being an inseparable part of the fabric of life in the city.”