Securing the future, not standing still: The Westphalian Taxi and Private Hire Day 2025 in Holzwickede

Around 200 guests came to the second Westphalian Taxi and Private Hire Day, invited by the Association of Private Commercial Road Passenger Transport of North Rhine-Westphalia (VSPV).

Right at the opening by association chairman Jörg Füchtenschnieder, it became clear: this was not only about discussion, but above all about providing guidance and motivation. Managing director Sascha Waltemate put it plainly:

"The taxi is not a dying model. It is the flexible, regulated, quality-assured workhorse of passenger transport—from the village to the city center."

His appeal was unequivocal: those who rest on tradition will lose. Those who, by contrast, seize the opportunities of standards, connectivity and digitalization can stabilize their business—and even open up new areas.

Data as the key—the VSPV Standard 101

A central topic of the day was the newly developed VSPV Standard 101, a standardized data model for for-hire transport. For many taxi operators, "standardization" initially sounds like bureaucracy. But in Holzwickede it became clear: this is not about more obligations, but about greater reach and better visibility.

Up to now, it has often been difficult for health insurers, public transport associations or digital mobility platforms to integrate taxi and private-hire offerings seamlessly. Different interfaces, incompatible formats and a lack of binding specifications have prevented genuine integration. The new standard is intended to solve precisely this problem.

In practical terms, this means:

• More jobs: Medical transport rides can in future be commissioned directly from physicians’ office software or by health insurers via standardized interfaces.
• Better visibility: Passengers who search for connecting mobility in public transport apps see taxi offers where they are needed—without additional intermediaries.
• Simpler billing: fewer queries, less paperwork, because data are consistent and available digitally.

The symbolic handover of version 0.91 to representatives of DELFI, VRR, AOK, and MPC made it clear: the process has been set in motion; now the task is to actively involve the industry.

Politics and lobbying - between defensive struggle and a will to shape

Another focus was the federal political situation. Moderated by Waltemate, TMV President Thomas Kroker, Vice President Jörg Füchtenschnieder, and Head of Office Nico Höttges discussed the umbrella association’s current initiatives in Berlin.

The challenges are well known: international platform providers are pushing into the market with multi-billion budgets, while local entrepreneurs have to operate under strict regulation. The demand for fair competition therefore remains high on the agenda. But topics such as billing for medical transport rides, the future of the Passenger Transport Act, and the role of private hire vehicle operators as competitors were also on the table.

The presentation of a new brochure on billing for medical transport rides, intended as a practical aid, attracted particular interest. Kroker emphasized: “We want every entrepreneur to know their rights and how to assert them.” Smaller companies in particular often find themselves at a disadvantage vis-à-vis the health insurers.

For the operators in the room, this discussion was more than a theoretical sparring match: it showed that the association not only reacts but also drives initiatives—and that persistence in Berlin can pay off.

Automation in the association – a model for operators?

A highlight of the day was the presentation of a project that concerns the VSPV itself—but is also highly relevant for operators. Together with the consulting firm Team GetCloser, the association is developing a system to digitise and largely automate the handling of the entire hearing process under Section 14(2) of the Passenger Transport Act (PBefG).

What sounds dry could be a real breakthrough. Until now, hearings on permits and complaints have consumed enormous amounts of time, both in the authorities and in the associations.

The new system relies on:

• AI-powered text recognition: Documents are automatically captured, structured and assessed.
• Geodata analysis: Locations, routes and operating environments can be examined digitally.
• Algorithmic decision recommendations: Routine cases can be handled automatically, while complex matters remain in the hands of the executive management.