The currrent stepped up pace of new vehicle sales in Israel is forcing the Ministry of Transport to change its vehicle numbering method. An inquiry by the Ministry of Transport chief scientist showed that at the current rate, the Ministry will run out of seven-digit license numbers in less than three years.
The Ministry of Transport considered a number of solutions to the problem, such as using license plates with both numbers and letters, as practiced in Europe, for example. It was eventually decided, however, that Israel would use license plates with eight digits, instead of seven digits, for all new vehicles on the road, starting in 2017.
It has been learned that this project is by no means a simple one. The Ministry of Transport is saying that it is the second biggest project since the Y2K bug project at the millennium changeover. It affects a long list of parties, including government ministries, Israel Police, banks, auto importers and leasing companies, local authorities, and others. The project will probably cost hundreds of millions of shekels, with most of the costs being incurred in changing the information systems, which are currently based on seven-digit license numbers.
A pilot of the transition to the new system will begin next year, with the aim being to commence the actual transition in January 2017. The only question left to see how much vehicle owners will pay for it.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 1, 2015
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2015