Cab topics (general)

Reports have been circulating in Frankfurt’s taxi industry for several weeks, causing unease. It is said that Frankfurt’s long-established taxi dispatch center has been sold or is on the verge of a cooperation with Uber. Now Taxi Frankfurt eG, the cooperative behind the dispatch center, has responded with a correction. “The dispatch center has not been sold,” it says in a statement that went out to drivers and the public. The board likewise firmly rejects the allegation that there are already contracts with Uber or other platforms.

(dpa/sa) In 2015, almost 39,000 tickets were still redeemed; by 2024, the number was down to just under 7,600. The figures show the marked decline. According to the Interior Ministry, the reasons lie in the changing mobility habits of young people.

Free rides are intended to help girls and women in distress get home safely after a visit to Oktoberfest. The Safe Space on the festival grounds is the central point of contact for counseling and support.

The family-owned company with 45 years of experience is expanding its offering to include digital channels. In addition to the classic telephone service, customers now have access to contactless payments and invoiced rides.

BYD continues its mission to "conquer Germany." The BYD Seal 6 DM-i Touring is intended to deliver the breakthrough. The plug-in hybrid estate performs well but shows a few minor weaknesses. Intax, the conversion specialist from Oldenburg, plans to be able to supply the estate as a taxi from November 2025. Our colleague Wolfgang Gomoll from press-inform has extensively tested the BYD Seal 6 DM-i Touring.

The Federal Association of Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles (BVTM) welcomes the decision of the Essen City Council to introduce binding minimum prices for private hire vehicle journeys from January 1, 2026. This will make Essen the first city with more than 500,000 residents to make use of this new legal option to create fair market conditions in the mobility sector.

Digital application channels accelerate permitting procedures in the passenger transport sector. But industry representatives warn: The simplified registration could further strengthen Uber and similar operators in cities such as Frankfurt or Wiesbaden.

Berlin – the city that never sleeps is not only the capital of the republic, but also a hotly contested turf for mobility services. Rental cars, e-scooters, bicycles, car sharing – traffic is a mirror of change. Only the taxi seemed to be left behind until the LABO finally cracked down.

Oktoberfest visitors drove a significant increase in demand for taxi and ride services at the start of the festival. Over 50 percent more transactions show how strongly the industry benefits from the event.

With 500 TOPS of computing power, the sedan features modern driver-assistance systems and a connected warning system. Existing EX90 customers also benefit from a free processor upgrade.

It was a sunny Saturday in Holzwickede, but at the Kinderglückhalle everything revolved around issues that tend to cause furrowed brows for many taxi and private hire operators in their day-to-day business: digitalization, new statutory requirements, competition from international platform providers – and, not least, the question of how the classic taxi can hold its own in the future mobility mix.

The taxi industry warns of ruinous competition and urges swift action. Minimum fares for private hire vehicles and a monitoring period are intended to reorganize market conditions in the capital.

Together with other partner portals, the news platform „Der Westen“ is a subsidiary of the Funke Mediengruppe. According to its own statements, the focus of its reporting is on North Rhine-Westphalia and in particular on the Ruhr region. It is therefore surprising that the editorial team publishes a barely rewritten Uber press release as „news“ -

Opel has received an award from the Campaign for Healthier Backs (AGR) for its long-standing work on ergonomic seats. The award ceremony took place at the company’s headquarters in Rüsselsheim and underscores that back-friendly seating at Opel is not a mere footnote, but has been a hallmark for two decades.

Germany’s three largest public transport operators want to work together more closely in the future. Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), Hamburger Hochbahn (HOCHBAHN) and Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that sets out a strategic partnership for the public transport of the future. The aim is to leverage synergies, develop standards and offer smart mobility services to millions of passengers.

As a taxi driver, you encounter not only vehicles and passengers on the road, but sometimes also situations that are morally shocking and legally complex. A recent order by the Local Court of Hagen (file no. 66 Gs 733/25, order dated 6 June 2025) sheds light on such a difficult situation: Anyone who drives a passenger car over a corpse and then leaves the scene does not commit hit-and-run under Section 142 of the German Criminal Code (StGB). What does that mean for drivers, for the law – and for morality?

Ahead of tomorrow's special transport ministers' conference, Patrick Meinhardt, chief executive of TMV, is advocating the Deutschlandticket plus. The nationwide ticket should in future be valid not only for buses and trains, but also for taxi rides.

On September 7, an accident in Schwerte-Villigst shook the region: A Tesla left the road, crashed into a tree, and caught fire. Three occupants – a 43-year-old man and two children (9) – could not be saved. A first aider tried to open the doors but failed. The typically retractable door handles on these vehicle models may have played a role.

Mobility in everyday life is not a given for many visitors to the AWO-Treff in Wülfrath. Recently, an agreement between the Workers' Welfare Association and the company Taxi & Mietwagen Wülfrath has made this easier: anyone traveling to the AWO-Treff or returning from there receives a ten percent discount on the fare.

In the Munich district of Hadern, the MVG has launched a small experiment in recent weeks that is more than just a promotional campaign: On a section of bus line 167, fully electric minibuses are running, which can be coupled together when needed and can be used free of charge during the test period. To what extent this service affects the local taxi business remains to be seen.

The mobility provider Freenow has recently been appearing under a new name and a new look. “Freenow” becomes “Freenow by Lyft.” The background is the takeover of the company by the US corporation Lyft in July 2025. For the taxi industry, the question arises: What does this refresh mean for the day-to-day operations of drivers and operators?

Refusals, surcharges, and restrictions on transporting mobility aids are weighing on the ride-hailing provider. Now substantial claims for damages are looming before a federal court in California.

Munich taxi drivers once again made clear their dissatisfaction with the market conditions in passenger transport on 12 September 2025. Under the motto "fair competitive conditions," drivers gathered for a motorcade which, according to the organizers, kicked off at the Olympic Park.

An unusual assignment in a taxi driver’s everyday life leads all the way to Bellevue Palace: The Osnabrück-based entrepreneur Mehmet Yasman and his driver Deniz Açıl will take part in the Federal President’s Citizens’ Festival on Friday. They were invited because they prevented a pensioner from falling victim to a scam.

The city and the taxi and private-hire vehicle sector are wrangling over minimum prices. The council is set to decide at the end of September, with new fixed taxi fares up for a vote at the same time.

sei mobil Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH, a company of the NETINERA Group, will henceforth base its planning on a new digital foundation. With the NOVAhub software solution from the developer Stadt.Land.Netz (SLN), school and passenger transport are to be organized more efficiently.

A special anniversary was celebrated in Bispingen last week: Taxi Rathje has been serving the region for 35 years. Owner Gundula Hauenstein invited customers, association colleagues, and friends to celebrate her company's anniversary together—on the company's own premises, in a familial and approachable setting.

In Bavaria, thousands of driverless shuttles and buses are expected to be on the road in the coming years. Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder wants to make the greater Munich area the center of autonomous driving. And on board is the platform operator Uber.

The German Taxi and Private Hire Association (BVTM) is concerned about the growing uncertainty that the federal government’s contradictory approach to the combustion-engine phase-out is causing in the industry. Managing Director Oppermann is calling for greater planning certainty for the taxi industry.

A ringing phone, a dramatic story – and people are immediately ready to hand over their savings. Call center fraud has become part of everyday life for the police. Criminal groups operate internationally, impersonating relatives, police officers, or prosecutors and putting their victims under intense pressure over the phone.

Users in Dortmund can now choose between fixed-price hire cars and taxi rides. At launch there are discounts, while Bolt plans to integrate additional mobility options such as e-scooters and car sharing over the long term.

The Bavarian state capital is becoming the European pilot site for highly automated driving. Momenta is relying on AI technology that is already built into hundreds of thousands of vehicles and is being tested in robotaxi operations in Shanghai.

A ZDF documentary recently reignited a debate about abuse in the social welfare system. Also in focus: how drivers for Uber & Co. deliberately exploit the social welfare system. 

The collaboration with KTP GmbH ensures faster rides and fair rates. In addition to more convenient booking via app, the project is intended above all to secure the long-term position of Kassel’s taxi industry.

In Essen, ride-hailing services will no longer be permitted to be offered below certain fares in the future. The basis is an expert report that highlights major problems concerning drivers’ rights and social standards.

The new platform brings together regional demand-responsive transport services such as Anrufbus Unterland, YOYO in the Upper Rhine Valley, and the shared taxi in Montafon. A pilot project extends operating hours and introduces digital booking and payment via app.

(dpa) By mid-2026, Uber and Bolt are to negotiate price agreements with the city. Minimum fees and fare caps are planned. The conflict with the taxi industry remains.

Fixed taxi fares are becoming increasingly widespread in German cities. In addition to Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Cologne, providers such as Freenow and Uber have also introduced similar models. The development is accompanied by debates about the legal framework and tariff corridors.

An algorithm calculates the fare in advance and factors in demand and traffic conditions. Passengers receive price certainty, and drivers benefit from greater predictability.

Wheelchair taxis enable barrier-free transportation in everyday life. This overview covers new vehicle models, conversions, and safety systems, as well as questions regarding fares, surcharges, subsidies, and driver training. In addition, all general information and an FAQ on the topic of wheelchair taxis can be found.

Uber is expanding its offering and entering the pharmacy market. Effective immediately, users can use the Uber Eats app to order not only pizza or sushi, but also over-the-counter health and personal care products.

Hamburg is embarking on an experiment. Since February 2025, a two-year trial phase has been underway in which fixed prices and a fare corridor for taxi rides are to be established. The aim is to develop a solution tailored to the Hanseatic city and the needs of taxi operators.

The Munich City Council has revised the rules for the Women’s Night Taxi program. In the future, the ride vouchers are to be distributed specifically to women with lower incomes—for example, female students or female pensioners.

(dpa/tk) A taxi stops at an intersection, a passenger wants to get out. The man opens the car door a crack. Is he responsible for the death of a cyclist who collides with the door?

Since February 2025, passengers in Hamburg have been able to order a taxi at a fixed price. Unlike in Berlin or Munich, however, a so-called fare corridor was not introduced – meaning the option to deviate from the regular taxi fare upward or downward. This decision has drawn criticism from the ride-hailing platforms Free Now and Uber.

In Mainz, pressure is mounting on the city administration to reorganize the competition between taxis and private hire vehicle companies. Representatives of the taxi industry and the Mobility and Logistics Association Rhineland-Palatinate (MOLO) spoke last week with the Traffic Monitoring Office – and urged the introduction of minimum fares for private hire vehicles.

At the meeting in the Federal Ministry of Transport, central topics of the taxi and rental car industry were discussed. In addition to combating illegal rental cars, the introduction of minimum tariffs and the promotion of alternative vehicle drives were especially on the agenda.

The price trend in the German car market is following a clear direction: upwards. Inspections, repairs, spare parts – for many motorists, regular visits to the workshop are now a cost factor that makes a noticeable impact on the household budget.

Leipzig currently offers a glimpse into the political stalemate between regulation and withdrawal. These days, if you get into some taxis in Leipzig, you’ll notice the change: the logo of Uber is prominently displayed in large letters on the driver's door. Some drivers now even offer their services exclusively through the app of the US company.

A parking lot with festively decorated vehicles, a company hall with long tables, music playing subtly in the background – and in the middle, a family celebrating two companies. But in Straubing, it was not only a celebration, but also a look forward – with respect for the past and a clear stance for the future of the industry.

(dpa) An intelligent sensor system, tenfold security architecture, and electric drives: Baidu's RT6 models are expected to soon be available on the Lyft platform. The European rollout begins in 2026 and relies on local market knowledge and partnerships.

Taxi.de introduces a new technology into daily taxi operations with a voice-controlled telephone assistant. Initial experiences show: The artificial voice can do more than just listen.

The Federal Association of Taxi and Rental Cars (BVTM) publicly presented the TaxiTrainer app during a digital launch event.

Leipzig forgoes minimum prices for rental cars – sending a disastrous signal. The decision by the major Saxon city not to set minimum fees for the rental car industry is causing discontent within the sector.

(dpa/sa/tk) The labeling remains, as does the taxi light. However, anyone calling a taxi in the country can now be driven in a white, red, or black car. A rigid regulation is being dropped.

Once upon a time, there was a reform announced. Four years ago, the amendment of the Passenger Transport Act came into effect – and with it, the traditional local knowledge test for rental car drivers disappeared. Instead, a new hurdle was to be introduced: the so-called "Small Professional Knowledge" test.

(dpa/sn/tk) - In Leipzig, Uber and other rental car providers had to raise their prices at short notice. But then there was a reversal. What is the current status?

In the debate about fair competition in passenger transport, the university city is drawing a clear line: As the first major city in Germany, Heidelberg is introducing binding minimum tariffs for rental car providers like Uber.

It was supposed to be a milestone – but it has mainly become an omission. Four years after the amendment of the Passenger Transport Act (PBefG) came into force, the Federal Association of Taxi and Rental Cars (BVTM) expresses disappointment.

While discussions are still ongoing in Europe, Shanghai is issuing several robotaxi licenses at once. Companies like Pony AI, Baidu, WeRide, and SAIC Motor are now allowed to offer their services commercially in selected urban areas – without safety drivers.