BVTM warns: Rental-car dumping endangers public transport and fair competition.

During the Parliamentary Taxi Evening on October 15, 2025 in Berlin, the Federal Association of Taxi and Car Hire Transport (BVTM) pointed to the unequal competitive conditions between taxi companies and platform providers such as Uber, from its perspective. The aim of the event was to influence the forthcoming evaluation of the Passenger Transport Act (PBefG). The association, in particular, calls for the taxi industry not to be disadvantaged in the market compared with digital intermediary services.

Point of Contention: Minimum fares for rental cars

A central topic was the introduction of minimum transport charges for rental cars. The BVTM criticizes that these have so far only applied in a few cities. In Essen, Heidelberg and Lörrach, corresponding regulations were introduced. In Essen, the minimum price according to the BVTM is slightly below the taxi tariff, while a tariff corridor gives the taxi some leeway.
In Munich, a planned minimum price was halted by the Lord Mayor shortly before it came into effect. In Berlin, the political signals are basically supportive, but the association fears delays due to the state parliament elections to be held next year. The Essen example shows that the implementation of minimum prices is lengthy due to expert opinions and court proceedings.

Impact on public local transport

The BVTM also sees risks for public local transport (ÖPNV) due to the absence of minimum prices. When used by multiple passengers together, rides in rental cars without a price floor could be cheaper than bus and rail trips – particularly in off-peak times and night services. The association warns that this could further thin out existing ÖPNV offerings.
According to BVTM market observation in Berlin, group rides with platform services on certain routes are often cheaper than BVG single tickets. At the same time, it shows that rental-car providers hardly cushion demand peaks in the rush hour, as many users still resort to U- and S-Bahn.

Taxi as part of public transport in rural areas

In rural areas, BVTM advocates integrating taxis more strongly into public transport. Models such as dial-a-ride taxis or ÖPNV-taxis should complement existing offerings and create economically sustainable mobility solutions. Taxi operators could thereby serve passengers at the station as well as handle shared-ride services.