BVTM-Taxi Politics Live: "We need to make adjustments" - Federal politicians open to improvements in the PBefG

The Federal Association of Taxi and Rental Cars was able to secure three high-ranking federal politicians for the digital panel discussion before the election: Michael Donth (CDU), Nyke Slawik (Greens), and Mathias Stein (SPD). In the 60-minute discussion in the format "Taxi Politics Live," they debated with association president Herwig Kollar and answered questions from the taxi audience.

Online discussion with politicians from the Union, SPD, and the Greens at the Federal Association, President Kollar and Chief Executive Michael Oppermann asked the questions. | Photo: BVTM
Online discussion with politicians from the Union, SPD, and the Greens at the Federal Association, President Kollar and Chief Executive Michael Oppermann asked the questions. | Photo: BVTM

About 60 participants joined the online discussion format. All three politicians had to admit that their respective election programs are rather briefly formulated due to the early elections. The representatives showed openness to revising the Passenger Transportation Act. CDU member Donth put it quite clearly:

"It is indeed the case: We need to make adjustments."

He described the 2021 PBefG reform, in which he himself was involved, as "all in all okay." But:

"There is the toolbox and there is the realization that various municipalities are still somewhat reluctant."

The Green Party representative Slawik agreed. She explicitly pointed to the possibility of introducing minimum prices and the positive verdict on this from Leipzig. However:

"If we do not see progress in the near future and the big cities continue to struggle, then we are very open to looking at it again and addressing a possible new regulation."

Association President Kollar clearly urged:

“If the taxi is to continue playing a role as part of public services in public transport in the future, it is imperative to specify and tighten the instruments in the PBefG, and perhaps even consider obligating authorities to set minimum transportation charges for platform-based rental cars in large cities.”

He referred to the regulation in bundled demand traffic, for which tariff regulations are mandatorily required.

Unlike with the CDU and the Greens, the word taxi can be found in the SPD election program. It states:

“We strengthen an innovative taxi industry as part of public services and ensure compliance with social standards by ride service providers.”

This was emphasized by SPD Representative Stein:

“Of course, we will look into how we can maintain social standards.”

Kollar took this up:

“This is a price dictate by the platforms, which ultimately leads to this shadow economy being possible in the first place. Politics must recognize: It is the platforms that control the whole thing, and it is also the platforms that have the responsibility.”

Expansion of the Public Transport Taxi Offer

The national association is calling for better enforcement options for authorities against Uber & Co.

With a view to rural areas, the three parliamentarians emphasized the importance of taxis as part of public transport.

“We see opportunities there – especially the public transport taxi,” stated Donth.

The Green Party's Slawik also pointed to her party's demand for a mobility guarantee:

“As the Greens, we are introducing the idea of a mobility guarantee, which should apply nationwide, and especially where local public transport systems are not so well developed, the taxi plays an important role.”

Stein suggested creating a platform for innovative on-demand solutions:

“It would be good if we had a digital platform for it and if we could develop something public in this area,” said the MP.

E-mobility needs support

Finally, on the topic of electromobility, the main focus was on how the transformation can be supported. Gregor Beiner from the Munich Taxi Center took the floor and explained that the majority of his fleet had already been switched to electric. SPD man Stein initially stated:

“In the passenger car sector, the technology has largely been decided. Traffic should become climate-neutral with electromobility.”

He sees support primarily in the area of public charging infrastructure. Donth emphasized the high effectiveness of emission-free drives in the taxi sector:

“We need to look at efficiency. The effect—Euro spent per CO2 saved—is naturally many times higher in taxis than in a second or third vehicle.”

The Green Slawik raised the question of how taxi companies can be charged without a large own charging structure. In addition to the promotion of charging infrastructure, she announced: “We would like to bring back the e-car bonus.”

At one point, the CDU man became very specific:

“For the Union, the phase-out of combustion engines is up for discussion. We rely on drive diversity. The electricity prices, especially at fast charging stations, are significantly too high at 79 or even 89 cents per kWh. Furthermore, in my view, we should bring forward the evaluation of the PBefG, not postpone it to 2027.”

Kollar noted that it remains to be seen what will be implemented from these approaches in the next legislative period. The BVTM had already created a roadmap for E-mobility two years ago. The BVTM president views the general support for e-cars skeptically.

“It makes little sense to support a private car as a third vehicle in the same way as a taxi that travels 100,000 kilometers a year,” Kollar explained, concluding with an appeal to exercise the right to vote, because:

“We see that there is an urgent need for action from the federal government.”

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