Report Mainz uncovers: The truth about Uber and Bolt

The ARD report titled "Uber, Bolt and Co. Rip-off Out of Control?" takes a detailed look at structural problems in the car rental market. Investigations reveal possible violations in vehicle labeling and advertising. The magazine places the platform services' practices in a political and legal context.

Silhouettes of a driver in nighttime city traffic – symbolic image of the hidden structures and investigative, illuminated practices of platform services in the passenger transport market. | Photo: AI-generated
Silhouettes of a driver in nighttime city traffic – symbolic image of the hidden structures and investigative, illuminated practices of platform services in the passenger transport market. | Photo: AI-generated

The ARD magazine Report Mainz dedicates its edition today (on 18 November 2025) to a detailed investigative report on the business practices of Uber, Bolt and other platform providers in the passenger transport sector. The program will be broadcast at 9:45 p.m. on Das Erste and is based on investigations in several federal states, including Berlin and Munich.

Focus on business models and regulatory violations

The report examines to what extent platform providers comply with existing legal requirements in the rental car and passenger transport sector. This includes, among other things, documented cases of alleged violations, such as missing regulatory numbers or unauthorized advertising labels on vehicles. The editorial team examines the structural framework under which the services operate, as well as potential impacts on the regulated passenger transport sector.

Profile of the Report Mainz Format

Report Mainz is a political investigative magazine of Südwestrundfunk within ARD. The format has existed since 1966 and ranks among the established political magazines on German television. Each edition runs about 30 minutes and combines investigative reports with political-economic analyses as well as documentary elements.

Editorial Approach and Thematic Focus

The editorial team regularly works with longer investigative strands, various sources, and documentary evidence. The thematic focuses include regional and federal politics, economy and corruption, and social policy issues. The magazine's reports have repeatedly sparked public debates in the past. (Source: LVBTM)

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