Ministerial Change: VSPV Looks to the Future of the Passenger Transport Act

The mobility association VSPV has sharply criticized the way Chancellor Friedrich Merz has dealt with the outgoing Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder. At the same time, the association welcomes Steffen Bilger as the designated successor to lead the Federal Ministry of Transport. For the taxi and rental-car industry, the personnel change is likely to play a role, particularly in the further development of the Passenger Transport Act.

VSPV commends the cooperation with Schnieder

According to the association, Schnieder proved to be a reliable point of contact during his tenure. The VSPV points, among other things, to the anniversary of the Berlin Taxi Guild, a condolence message for Michael Müller, as well as the handover of a comprehensive catalog of improvements to the Passenger Transport Act.

Also in the discussion about the so-called Kleine Fachkunde, the former Federal Minister of Transport has advocated for the association's concerns. The VSPV cites Schnieder's involvement in preventing a nationwide solution that the association regards as overly bureaucratic.

The substantive collaboration would, according to the VSPV, not have remained without conflicts. In particular, in an evaluation of the Passenger Transport Act, the association, according to its own statements, would not have agreed with Schnieder on all conclusions.

Criticism of the circumstances surrounding the ministerial change

The VSPV regards the circumstances of Schnieder's departure as distinctly more critical. The general plenipotentiary and head of the capital office, Patrick Meinhardt, accuses Chancellor Merz of improper handling of the minister. The association, by contrast, regards Schnieder's decision to request his own dismissal as a consistent move.

The VSPV's managing director Sascha Waltemate also regrets, according to the association, not only the end of Schnieder's term but also the surrounding circumstances of the personnel change.

Schnieder had announced that he would request his dismissal. As the reason, he cited the developments of the past days and the resulting situation which, in his view, had made objective work impossible. Chancellor Merz plans to nominate Steffen Bilger as his successor.