Because of RMV shuttle Knut: taxi boss mad at politics | Regional
Frankfurt – Smack for KNUT! The Frankfurt Taxi Association is mad at the new RMV shuttle, which chauffeurs customers across the districts of Nieder-Erlenbach, Nieder-Eschbach, Harheim, Bonames and Frankfurter Berg at a competitive price of 30 cents per kilometer: “These are taxis subsidized with taxpayers’ money . “
They are green instead of yellow, are at stops and go to 600 stops in the four parts of the city. RMV calls its offer on-demand buses. And advertises: “Without fixed departure times and without fixed routes.”
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The head of the Frankfurt Taxi Association, Hans-Peter Kratz (63), is annoyed green and yellow: “That means nothing other than vehicles available on demand. That is exactly what taxis have been doing for over 100 years. “
Three e-shuttles currently drive passengers daily from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. in the 21-kilometer area. Two euros base price, 30 cents per kilometer. The taxi costs 3.50 euros basic price and 2 euros per kilometer.
Kratz: “The project receives 3.3 million euros in subsidies. 2.7 million euros from the state, 600,000 euros from the city of Frankfurt. If we got such a chunk of money, we could pay customers five euros after each trip. “
Kratz is not angry with RMV boss Knut Ringat, but rather with politics: “We would have been a much better natural partner and could have offered it more cheaply for the taxpayer. But it is politically en vogue to do it that way. Politicians like Mayor Feldmann sit on the RMV supervisory board. And who does it: Clever Shuttle, belongs to Deutsche Bahn. The jumps give them the nice tax money. “
And taxpayers who pay taxes face competition from the state. Kratz: “With the millions of public funds, the livelihoods of small businesses and their employees are endangered. Then politicians should say right away, we’ll get rid of taxis, then we’ll do something else. It’s unfair competition in unequal weight classes. “
RMV spokeswoman Vanessa Rehermann: “On-demand offers like KNUT differ significantly from taxis: They don’t pick up passengers at the front door, but at virtual stops, make small detours to bundle several travel requests with one trip and only drive within limited service areas. “And says that the taxi companies could also apply to the tender:” There were no applications from the local taxi industry. “