Report Mainz exposes irregularities: What really lies behind Uber and Bolt rides

A report by the ARD magazine Report Mainz shows in several German cities substantial violations of law and dubious business practices in the environment around the ride-hailing platforms Uber and Bolt. Although the platforms themselves do not operate their own vehicles, they place orders with numerous car rental firms – and according to the report, there lie major problems.

Recurring conflicts and legal violations

Time and again there are confrontations between taxi drivers and rental-car drivers, sometimes even mass brawls. The reason is, among other things, the disregard of the legal return-to-base requirement: rental cars are not allowed to wait or be on standby after a ride, but must return to the base of operation. According to taxi drivers, this directive is often ignored.

Regulatory inspections confirm this suspicion: In Berlin, for example, more than 1,000 drivers were reportedly operating illegally two years ago. Investigators report systematic undeclared work, tax evasion and violations of working-time regulations.

Shell companies and front men

A particularly serious problem is mailbox companies and sham managing directors. Report Mainz documents cases in which car rental companies are operated under forged or completely opaque conditions. In social networks, front men are openly offered. A covert investigation shows how easily fictitious managing directors can be arranged for money – including tips for creative bookkeeping and the concealment of real earnings.

Escape to the countryside to evade inspections

Because cities like Berlin and Munich have intensified their inspections, many companies are relocating their official headquarters to the surrounding area – sometimes over 100 kilometers away. On site there are often neither offices nor parking spaces or break rooms, even though these are legally required. Authorities report that more than 90% of the inspected companies operate illegally in some form.