Berlin minimum driving price for rental cars: Are dumping prices ended?

Berlin minimum driving price for rental cars: Are dumping prices ended?

The Berlin state government makes you serious about regulating the rental car market! At the meeting of the House of Representatives, an application is discussed today that provides for a minimum driving price for platforms such as Uber and Bolt. The aim is to adjust the prices in the rental car industry and to stop dumping prices that lead to competition distortions compared to traditional taxi companies, such as the rbb24 reported.

With the planned regulation, rental car providers should no longer have the freedom to define their prices without restriction. SPD traffic politician Tino Schopf criticized the previous practices of the placement platforms and pointed out that up to 30 percent of the travel price will be retained as a commission. This often led to illegal practices such as social fraud and tax evasion. In addition, increased controls by the State Office for Citizens' and Ordinary Matters (Labo) are planned to ensure compliance with the regulations. This will be a clear blow against the unfair business practices on the rental car market, as will also be the Berliner Zeitung confirmed.

background and first implementation in Leipzig

Already in 2021 a similar model was introduced in Leipzig, where minimum tariffs for rental cars were defined. While these were recognized as fundamentally permissible, the Leipzig Administrative Court criticized the actual amount of the tariffs, which could lead to similar legal disputes in Berlin. The voice of Patrick Meinhardt, general manager of the taxi and rental car association Germany, turns out to be important: he calls for a clear yes to the minimum transport fee to set nationwide signals on this matter.

The checks of the Berlin Senate Department last year led to the blocking of hundreds of vehicles due to the lack of or invalid permits. With the new application, the state government is determined to further advance the regulation in the rental car area and to create a fair competitive conditions. The eyes are aimed at Berlin, because this step could be groundbreaking for all of Germany.