TMV disagrees with Bolt: "Social responsibility instead of systemic exploitation."

The TMV's press release headline is clear: "Social responsibility instead of systemic exploitation."

Bolt CEO Villig speaks of "productive work" created by his model. The TMV counters and points to investigations by the customs authorities. These painted a different picture: drivers sometimes worked up to 250 hours per month, but received flat-rate salaries between 500 and 1,500 euros. That is not innovation, but an "organized form of undeclared work."

Erosion of Social Standards and Social Benefits Fraud

Thus the association shifts the debate away from technological questions toward labor and social rights standards. It is not about app design or user comfort, but about wages, working hours, and protections.

The second point of the statement weighs particularly heavily. In many cases there is a strong suspicion that drivers, despite actually working full-time, receive additional benefits from the Jobcenter. The TMV speaks of systematic social welfare fraud. Such a model would deprive social funds of resources and undermine the principles of the social market economy. The association argues this explicitly in terms of regulatory policy. Platform economy is not a lawless space, but part of a regulated transport market.

Public welfare interests and safety concerns

The Passenger Transport Act is also at the center of criticism. Regulations such as minimum fares under § 51a PBefG served to protect overarching public welfare interests and were intended to create a level playing field. Without these instruments, the market could be cannibalized by dumping prices. In addition, public safety is at stake. In Berlin, as recently as around one third of rental cars operated illegally – without a license or with forged papers. For passengers, this means a considerable risk, for instance regarding insurance coverage. The disregard of permit requirements under § 2 PBefG is not a trivial offense.