Demonstration at Taxi Stand Organized with Auto-Corsa Participation and Street March
Does the taxi industry have a beef with Uber and Bolt in Wuppertal, Germany? You betcha! They're calling on municipalities to enforce minimum fares for platform rental cars, such as Uber and Bolt.
Deniz Yildiz, the big cheese at the Wuppertal Taxi Center, ain't mincing words here: "We're up to our necks in it. The city must finally act, otherwise there will soon be no taxis left in the largest city in the Bergisches Land."
Nico Höttges, Head of Office at the Taxi and Rental Car Association Germany, knows the score: "For about four years, cities and municipalities have had the opportunity to ensure fair competition in passenger transport. Since then, nothing has happened here."
Back in March 2024, Taxi-Zentrale, a local outfit, penned a letter to Mayor Uwe Schneidewind, begging him to kick things in gear. They're worried that the influx of platform rental cars is a threat to their existence. Around 1,000 taxi drivers and their families are in the firing line here.
It's no secret that the competition isn't always playing by the rules: there's evidence of them avoiding return obligations, not having enough parking spaces, and systematically undercutting local taxi fares in every city.
But don't worry, folks. There's widespread support for minimum prices for ride-hailing services from the population: according to a survey by Infratest / Kantar, around 60 percent of Germans are on board with the idea. Yildiz sums it up: "The numbers make it clear: People want drivers to be paid fairly, and they're willing to accept higher prices for it. If cities introduce minimum prices, they are acting in the interest of the population!"
Bolt argues that their prices are often more affordable than traditional taxis because of their cost-efficient business model, low commission fees, and efficient driver-passenger matching. So it ain't just about setting minimum fares; it's about leveling the playing field.
So, what's the beef? Traditional taxis have regulated minimum fares, while platform rental cars like Uber and Bolt operate with flexible pricing models. This results in lower fares for customers and puts pressure on traditional taxis. Taxi guilds are clamoring for regulatory adjustments to ensure fair competition and protect their businesses. It's a fight to the finish, and only time will tell who'll survive the ride-hailing revolution.
- The taxi industry in Wuppertal, Germany, is in a heated dispute with ride-hailing services like Uber and Bolt, calling for municipalities to implement minimum fares for platform rental cars.
- Deniz Yildiz, the head of the Wuppertal Taxi Center, emphasizes the urgency of city action, stating that inaction could lead to the disappearance of taxis in the city.
- The Taxi and Rental Car Association Germany's Head of Office, Nico Höttges, highlights the lack of city action in enforcing fair competition in passenger transport for nearly four years.
- Taxi-Zentrale, a local association, wrote a letter to Mayor Uwe Schneidewind in March 2024, expressed concerns about the impact of platform rental cars on their existence, and advocated for measures to level the playing field.
