Regulatory evasion in rental cars: TMV calls for cross-border controls

Representatives of the Taxi and Rental Car Association of Germany as well as the Berlin taxi trade guild held a 90-minute discussion with the transport policy spokesperson of the SPD parliamentary group in the Berlin House of Representatives, Tino Schopf, about the tense situation in Berlin's passenger transport industry. The focus, according to the association, was the increasing relocation of rental-car operations to Brandenburg's surrounding area while the vehicles are simultaneously deployed in the Berlin city area.

Headquarters Relocations to the Surrounding Area

According to the association, numerous platform-mediated rental-car companies are registering their official business addresses increasingly outside the capital. The background is the control mechanisms and regulatory requirements applicable in Berlin. In practice, however, the vehicles in question would continue to be predominantly deployed on the Berlin market.

Leszek Nadolski, chairman of the Berlin taxi trade guild, emphasizes that by targeted exploitation of administrative boundaries control mechanisms would be circumvented and fair competition would hardly be possible.

Call for cross-state supervision

Tino Schopf signaled, according to the statement, support for an extension of the controls beyond the state border. He views the development of the vehicle numbers in the Berlin surrounding area as an indication that enforcement pressure must also be increased outside the city. The aim is to pursue unauthorized business models consistently together with those responsible in Brandenburg.

As an example of closer coordination, the collaboration between Schopf and Brandenburg's state parliament member Martina Maxi Schmidt was cited. According to those involved, this cooperation of the permitting authorities is regarded as a model for more effective market regulation.