Transport giant heads south: starting at 1.1 shekels per minute, 500 vehicles to be deployed

Beersheba is joining the micro-mobility revolution: Lime will be the first to operate a shared electric bicycle and scooter system in the capital of the Negev. The pilot, conducted in cooperation with the Beersheba Municipality and the municipal company "Yaadim", will begin with an initial deployment of 200 vehicles and is expected to expand to about 500 vehicles by the start of the academic year in October.

The new system is intended to improve access to public transport and reduce dependence on private vehicles, with the deployment focusing on strategic hubs, including train stations, the central bus station, Ben-Gurion University, Sami Shamoon College of Engineering, Turner Stadium, and the Old City. Special emphasis will be placed on the "Innovation District", which includes the Gav-Yam High-Tech Park, Soroka Hospital, as well as neighborhoods Bet and Dalet, which are densely populated by young people and students.

The cost of a ride will be 6 shekels to unlock a vehicle and 1.1 shekels for every minute of riding, alongside the option to purchase discounted subscriptions (LimePass and LimePrime). According to the service rules, riding is permitted from age 18 and up only and will require identity verification in the app, wearing a helmet, and a speed limit of up to 25 km/h. To maintain public order, parking will be allowed in designated parking bays only and will require a photo at the end of the ride.

In addition, the company will launch the "Swap Station" project in the city, which will allow riders to exchange depleted batteries at small businesses in the city in exchange for free riding minutes, a step intended to strengthen the local economy.

Beersheba Mayor Ruvik Danilovich welcomed the move:

"Beersheba is a young, growing, and dynamic city, and it is time that its transport solutions match the pace of life of its residents. This is another step on the way to turning the city into a leading metropolis connected to the future."

CEO of Lime Israel, Maxim Moses, added: "The entry into Beersheba will change the landscape of mobility in the metropolis and give residents the confidence to leave the car at home."

As recalled, the transport move in Beersheba comes in parallel to a significant economic struggle that the municipality is conducting against the government. In the Likud, they are promoting a bill that will grant the residents of the capital of the Negev tax benefits worth an unprecedented amount of about 600 million shekels per year. The initiative, which also received surprising support from elements in the opposition, was promoted after heavy and prolonged pressure from the mayor, Ruvik Danilovich, who demanded to immediately fulfill a promise given to him directly by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.