Taxi drivers demonstrating against Uber and comparable companies
In cities across Europe, taxi drivers have taken to the streets in protest against ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt, calling for fair competition, the enforcement of existing regulations, and financial sustainability for drivers in both the traditional taxi and ride-hailing sectors.
In Germany, the Taxi and Mietwagenverband Deutschland, led by CEO Patrick Meinhardt, is advocating for a nationwide minimum tariff for Mietwagen. This call is echoed by Michael Oppermann, CEO of the Bundesverband Taxi and Mietwagen, who also supports the demand for minimum prices. The protests, which have occurred in cities such as Berlin, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Bremen, and Cologne, aim to level the playing field between traditional taxis and ride-hailing services.
The core issues revolve around ensuring ride-hailing apps comply with legal commission caps to guarantee drivers receive fair earnings, preventing platforms from undercutting traditional taxi fares by setting artificially low prices, and securing regulated access rights that protect the traditional taxi sector from losing key market areas to unregulated or under-regulated VTC services.
In Berlin, where fixed-price corridors for taxi rides already exist, the taxi industry has long demanded stricter regulations on car-hire platforms to prevent rideshare platforms from pricing rides so low that they erode drivers' incomes and the viability of licensed taxis. Uber, however, criticizes the call for more regulation, stating that it does not improve the situation but harms everyone.
Similar debates are unfolding in other European cities. In France, taxi drivers have been protesting for weeks in major cities and airports against the expansion of ride-hailing apps and against proposed fare reductions. In Portugal, Uber and Bolt drivers went on strike due to disputes over commission fees, demanding government enforcement of commission caps and platform accountability.
In Spain, around 300 taxi drivers organized a continuous horn honking protest at El Prat airport from June 16 to June 20, 2025, protesting a new tender awarding VIP pick-up rights to VTC services. The taxi union Élite Taxi considers this a provocation and a sign of disrespect, accusing the airport authority of prioritizing money over coexistence and fairness.
The debate on minimum prices is not a new one. Leipzig has already set minimum tariffs for Mietwagen, but one company has filed a lawsuit against it. Berlin is considering implementing similar regulations, but similar lawsuits can be expected if a similar regulation is implemented. Freenow, a ride-sharing platform, considers the debate on minimum prices overdue.
The Administrative Court of Leipzig ruled that minimum prices for Mietwagen are generally permissible, but the ones set by the city were too high. Every vehicle is strictly checked before it can be mediated via apps in Berlin, resulting in a significant decrease in the number of ride-hailing vehicles in the capital. However, the protests have resulted in traffic restrictions in city centres.
Christoph Hahn, the new German CEO of the Bolt platform, states that minimum prices will not save the taxi industry and would only be to the detriment of consumers. Uber advocates for taxi prices to be liberalized through flexible pre-booked prices, allowing taxi drivers to increase their utilization and revenues.
The protests reflect broader demands for fair competition rules, enforcement of existing regulations, and financial sustainability for drivers in both the traditional taxi and ride-hailing sectors. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how Europe's cities will navigate this complex issue and strike a balance between consumer convenience, driver earnings, and the viability of the traditional taxi industry.
[1] Source: El País, Spain, June 20, 2025 [2] Source: Público, Portugal, June 30, 2025 [3] Source: Le Monde, France, June 15, 2025 [4] Source: France 24, France, June 25, 2025 [5] Source: Die Welt, Germany, June 10, 2025
- The controversy over minimum prices for ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Bolt, is not exclusive to Germany; it extends to various industries, including automotive and transportation, and is a topic of discussion in finance and community policy debates across Europe.
- The protests by taxi drivers in cities like Berlin, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Bremen, Cologne, and others, have raised concerns about the financial sustainability of both traditional taxis and ride-hailing sectors and highlighted the need for fair competition and enforcement of existing regulations in the finance, industry, and community policy spheres.
