Inclusion taxi

Following the deadly accident of a ten-year-old boy during a medical transport in Baden-Württemberg, the case is once again before the courts. The legal investigation brings to the fore a question that has always accompanied the taxi trade: What responsibility do drivers bear when they transport people who cannot protect themselves?

Autonomous driving is regarded as one of the major future topics of mobility. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is now linking the technology with another goal: more independence for people who use wheelchairs. At Rehacare 2026 in Düsseldorf, the manufacturer presented a concept that aims to enable access to autonomous shuttles without external help.

The Mobility Association VSPV and the Social Association of Germany (SoVD) want to push the Inclusion Taxi forward politically. At a meeting in Berlin, the two organizations agreed on further steps to permanently anchor the service in social law and to establish it as a fixed component of an inclusive public transport system.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has started production of the revised Caddy in Poznań, Poland. The model features a modernized design, considerably more standard equipment and new digital functions. For taxi operators, the high-roof van remains especially interesting due to its flexibility, barrier-free conversion options and the plug-in hybrid drive.

A letter from a federal ministry can sometimes mean the end of an initiative for associations. For the Mobility Association VSPV, it was the start of a new round of talks, because a provisional “No” simply means that more persuasion work must be done.

The VSPV continues its political work for the introduction of a statutory entitlement to inclusion taxis. In a meeting with the chair of the Bundestag's Committee on Labour and Social Affairs, Bernd Rützel, the association presented its proposals for codification in the Social Code.

In Germany, the discussion about barrier-free mobility is often reduced to elevators, train platforms and low-floor buses – but that is only part of the problem. Taxi and rental-car traffic has so far mostly played only a secondary role in it. The VSPV and the SoVD are pressing to enshrine the Inclusion Taxi in the Social Code as binding.

As the gates of RETTmobil International 2026 open from May 6 to 8, the industry's focus shifts to the realities of on-the-ground operations. In Fulda, the tradition is to focus on emergency medical services, firefighting, and civil protection. But those who look more closely will identify interfaces that reach into the taxi and rental-car sector—especially where medical transports, inclusion, and digital organization come together.

With the conversion of the Kia PV5 Passenger into a taxi, the Oldenburg-based specialist presents another model from Kia. The PV5 from Intax is electric, spacious, and designed for flexible use. And - it can also be fully retrofitted if needed.

The Hansa-Taxi cooperative makes its support for the Olympic bid publicly visible and points to emission-free and accessible offerings in its own fleet.

If on May 9 a large number of taxis take to the streets around Lahr, the target is probably a fenced-off area at the edge of the airport – and an event that is deliberately inward-looking. The Ortenau taxi trade invites you to Traffic Safety Day, a format that has established itself in the region.

According to the associations, around 70 million euros annually could enable the creation of a nationwide, secured solution for accessible taxi services.

The city significantly expands its offering, increases daily operating capacity by 12.5 percent, and opens central parking spaces for additional vehicles from the airport.

Barrier-free mobility remains an unresolved problem for millions of people in Germany. While buses and trains are free of charge for people with severe disabilities, this regulation is lacking for taxis – although they, as part of the public local transport, could play a central role in enabling participation in social life.

Electrification is entering the everyday life of taxi work. With the Kia PV5 from AMF Bruns, a fully electric van now takes the stage, one that also considers people with mobility impairments. With the conversion, the EV van becomes a practical, wheelchair-accessible universal vehicle.

Anyone who wants to make a difference in Berlin's transportation policy needs more than arguments. They need contacts. At least, that's how Patrick Meinhardt, CEO of the German Taxi and Rental Car Association (TMV), sees it. From the inclusion taxi to the platform operators and the small specialist knowledge – the topics were diverse.

A CDU politician and two associations want to politically anchor the inclusion taxi. Patrick Meinhardt, chief executive of the TMV, recently spoke with the new labor and social policy spokesperson of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Marc Biadacz. Topic: the so-called inclusion taxi - a service aimed at providing people in wheelchairs with barrier-free mobility. The goal is to anchor the model long-term in the Social Code.

With the new Ford Custom and the innovative Long Cut rear cutout, AMF-Bruns once again sets standards in the field of barrier-free vehicle solutions. The specially developed conversion enables flexible and comfortable transportation of up to two wheelchair users.

The Taxi and Rental Car Association (TMV) introduces key industry topics into political discussions. The association discussed with the CDU and SPD about reducing bureaucracy, barrier-free mobility, and expanding public transport taxis, especially with regard to rural areas.