Israel's NRSA files police complaint against Wolt over courier traffic violations

Israel's National Road Safety Authority filed a police complaint against delivery platform Wolt and its CEO Tomer Cohen, alleging traffic violations by couriers and failure to appoint a safety officer. The NRSA seeks a criminal investigation and possible suspension of operations. Wolt disputes the claims, calling couriers independent contractors.

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) Council Chairman Moti Edrei has filed a formal police complaint against delivery company Wolt and its CEO Tomer Cohen, alleging ongoing traffic violations by couriers and failure to appoint a traffic safety officer. The NRSA argues that Wolt qualifies as an enterprise under Regulation 579, citing approximately 20,000 couriers and registration numbers of 214 vehicles involved in incidents, far exceeding the threshold of 40 vehicles. Wolt disputes this, claiming its couriers are independent contractors and not employees. The complaint calls for a criminal investigation and possible court order to suspend Wolt's operations. Edrei sent copies to Transportation Minister Miri Regev and Police Commissioner Daniel Levy. The complaint follows years of warnings; a 2021 Knesset discussion noted 80 injuries over three years involving delivery couriers, with incidents more than doubling from 10 in 2020 to 24 in 2021. Wolt accused the NRSA of turning the issue into a publicity campaign and said it had presented a detailed plan that went unanswered.