Rental car industry
Heidelberg introduces minimum tariffs for Uber and Co.
The city wants to act against dumping prices in rental car traffic. Uber speaks of a “black day” for consumers. What is certain is that it becomes significantly more expensive for rental car users.
Heidelberg is the only big city in Germany to introduce minimum tariffs for Uber and other rental car providers. From now on, prices for trips with rental cars are only allowed to be a maximum of 7.5 percent below the fees set for taxi drivers, as a spokesman for the city confirmed. So far, “Uber trips” have been around 35 percent cheaper. “The decision is necessary to prevent dumping prices in rental car traffic – regardless of whether platform -based or not.”
Uber criticized the decision. “Of course this is a black day for consumers,” said a spokesman. People with low incomes in particular could no longer afford trips, it said in a message.
Drive from the train station to the castle for 9 euros instead of 25 euros
An example: So far, the journey from the main train station in Heidelberg to the world -famous castle – around 15 minutes travel time – according to Uber claims to have 9 euros. According to the taxi center, passengers have to estimate up to 25 euros by taxi.
According to the administration, there are 162 taxi drivers with the appropriate approval in the 155,000-inhabitant city of Heidelberg. The opposite would be, among other things, 95 vehicles at 18 companies that are organized via Uber. The city sees the taxi -sector as part of the provision of services and thus as a “particularly worthy of protection”. As usual in Germany, the municipality sets the tariffs for the taxi rides.
Federal Association Taxi hopes for imitators
The Federal Association of Taxi refers to more than 20 major cities, which therefore have comparable problems with “dumping driving services”. “We emphasize all affected cities in Germany to follow the example of Heidelberg,” said Managing Director Michael Oppermann. “We need the minimum prices, because we can only assert ourselves in a fair competition.”
The Federal Association “We are driving”, on the other hand, announced that it would support affected rental car companies against the decision in the event of legal steps. According to the association, Heidelberg is the only larger city nationwide with such a requirement.
Leipzig withdraws, Munich decides against it
The city of Leipzig also had minimum tariffs for rental car companies such as Uber. However, after a legal dispute, the municipality retrieved the corresponding decision at the end of May. In addition, the district of Lörrach in the southwest of Baden-Württemberg introduced a similar regulation in 2022. However, Uber is not represented there. Munich has only spoken out against minimum prices for rental car rides this week.
dpa
Source: Stern
