On-demand mobility operators create platform against European restrictions
Europe's leading on-demand mobility companies (VTCs and cabs), driver organizations and mobility platforms have joined forces to launch Shared Mobility Europe, a new coalition advocating for the reform of outdated and harmful rules in EU member states.
The coalition includes leading members Bolt, Cachet, leCab, Vay, ANM-TVDE, ANITRAV, MOVEA, MuoverSì, psnm, PZPA, TAF and TLP.
It is estimated that by 2030, almost 190 million Europeans, representing around 40% of the population in the EU, will use on-demand mobility services (VTCs and cabs). As of today, more than 1.5 million daily trips are made in Europe through these applications, generating revenue opportunities for millions of drivers.
Despite this impact, the «outdated and fragmented regulations severely limit the European sector compared to the U.S. and other international markets
In cities such as Rome, Athens, Barcelonaand Dublín, up to 50% of trip requests are not completed due to restrictive rules that make it impossible for drivers to operate efficiently or even to operate, the platform denounces.
Shared Mobility Europe argues that the system intended to improve mobility in Europe isá fragmented, outdated and, in many places, inconsistent and not fulfilling its purpose, creating barriers that exclude more affordable and innovative options.
In Italy, passengers could soon be forced to wait 20 minutes after making their reservation, even if the car is already waiting at the door.
In Greece, VTC and cab drivers can only pick someone up if the passenger hires them for a minimum of three hours and signs a paper contract just to go to the airport.
In Germany, drivers must return empty to their bases after each trip, even if a new customer is just around the corner. The minimum prices currently contemplated in Munich are likely to double the cost of a trip compared to today.
In some regions of Spain, such as Cataluña or Andalucía, on-demand mobility vehicles (VTCs and cabs) must measure a greater minimum length than other modes of transport;This forces many drivers to add bulky and unnecessary bumpers just to meet the size requirement.
In Malta, drivers must own a garage for their vehicle, which imposes more costs on operators.
Several EU countries imposestrict quotas on drivers, making it impossible to obtain a license and provide on-demand mobility services (VTCs and cabs). Italy as a whole has fewer licenses than the number of drivers in the city of Paris alone. Popular places like Mykonos and Santorini have less than 20 licenses each to meet the high demand.
«This is not regulation. It is a straitjacket», stresses Andrea Romano, spokesman for Shared Mobility Europe, former member of the Italian Parliament (2013-2022) and president of MuoverSì, the Italian association of professional drivers and fleets of on-demand mobility (VTCs and cabs).
Currently one in four Europeans relies on on-demand mobility services (VTCs and cabs) to get around. This is why Shared Mobility Europe is calling for a serious and coordinated response across the EU. According to European Parliament studies, a unified transport market could bring annual benefits of 1,400 € per citizen and generate up to 600,000 new jobs in shared mobility by 2030.
«Our message to Brussels is clear: mobility is changing. The rules must adapt, , says Andrea Romano. «Digitalization and decarbonization demand smart regulation, not mindless 20th century bureaucracy».