German taxi sector demands equal rules as Uber competition intensifies

Taxi operators in Germany argue that they are subject to far stricter regulations than ride‑hailing companies such as Uber, Bolt and Lyft. In Bremen, drivers like Talha Iqbal of Classy Taxi Bremen point to mandatory technical safety devices (TSE) that log every trip, municipal fare caps, annual meter inspections and compulsory TÜV checks, while Uber cars are classified as rental vehicles and are not bound by those rules. The taxi industry demands that any increased inspections apply to all providers equally.

The dispute coincides with a broader crisis in the German taxi market. Companies in cities such as Bochum, Braunschweig and Leipzig have declared insolvency, and over 40 % of drivers in rural states have left the trade. Ride volumes have fallen from 12.2 million trips in 2017 to 9.6 million in 2024. Several municipalities, including Cologne and Hamburg, have introduced measures such as price caps for Uber or halted new taxi licences, while the federal taxi association calls for minimum fare requirements for ride‑hailing firms.

Industry representatives, such as Michael Oppermann of the Federal Taxi and Rental Car Association, stress that the current regulatory imbalance threatens the viability of traditional taxis and urges lawmakers to level the playing field.