Berlin The federal and state governments wanted to ensure the “fastest possible introduction” of a new discount ticket in local and regional transport. This plan is in danger of failing. The transport companies in Germany refuse to prepare and introduce the state-approved “Deutschlandticket” without further financial commitments.
This emerges from letters from the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and to the Prime Ministers of all 16 federal states. They are available to the Handelsblatt.
“We politely ask for your understanding that it is only possible for us under the above-mentioned circumstances to offer passengers such a new, but also high-quality tariff,” wrote Association President Ingo Wortmann, Head of the Munich Transport Company (MVG) and Association -CEO Oliver Wolff.
The “circumstances” are clear conditions of the industry: only if the federal and state governments guarantee that they will assume all costs will they introduce the new tariff. But it is already clear that “at the present time numerous questions are unanswered” which make it impossible for us to implement them – around January 1, 2023.”
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The federal government sets a tariff for local transport for the first time
For the first time, public transport companies are to introduce a tariff that is not only valid in their own local transport area, but also nationwide on every train and every bus.
Normally, only the states and municipalities are responsible for organizing local transport. This includes ticket prices and tariffs. In the summer, however, the federal government intervened in tariff sovereignty with the idea of a nine-euro monthly ticket.
>> Also read: Questions and answers about the Germany ticket – what is known so far
Most recently, Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) promised 1.5 billion euros for a permanent successor plan if the federal states contribute a similar amount.
The VDV makes it clear that the three billion euros promised by the federal and state governments would not be enough to introduce the monthly subscription that is valid nationwide and sold digitally. The association points out that the transport ministers of the federal states had previously decided “that the costs of lost fares and the considerable costs of switching to a new tariff product must be reimbursed in full”.
Scholz and the prime ministers had agreed on a maximum of 1.5 billion euros each. “From the point of view of the entire transport industry, the question arises as to how the Germany ticket should be financed without a really significant risk for companies and public authorities,” the letters continue.
Transport Minister Wissing has promised 1.5 billion euros for a follow-up regulation to the nine-euro ticket if the federal states contribute a similar amount.
(Photo: IMAGO/aal.photo)
As it was said in the industry, the forecast loss of income of three billion euros per year is based on different assumptions than the now planned 49 euro monthly ticket. So far, the industry has assumed in the planning that a 69-euro ticket will be introduced – as an annual subscription.
Economic risk of the 49-euro ticket “unaffordable”
A monthly subscription, on the other hand, means a much higher financial risk and the price of 49 euros means far higher losses. Should the additional costs end up with the transport companies, they would inevitably have to shut down routes in their offer, it was warned. Together with the municipal umbrella organizations, the transport companies are in agreement: the economic risk is “unaffordable”.
>> Also read: What the autonomous minibus can contribute to the traffic turnaround
The representatives of the private transport providers also see it similarly. “There are significant unresolved financing issues,” said Tobias Heinemann, President of the Mofair Transport Association and Head of Transdev GmbH.
Anyone who introduces such regulations is obliged to pay the passenger transport company direct financial compensation. Clemens Antweiler, business lawyer in Düsseldorf
In the meantime, lawyers see chances that the transport companies can, in case of doubt, call on the federal government to assume all costs. “Anyone who introduces such regulations is immediately obliged to compensate the passenger transport company financially,” said Clemens Antweiler, a commercial lawyer from Düsseldorf.
He refers to a judgment of the European Court of Justice. In the case under investigation, transport companies in Estonia were obliged to transport schoolchildren, trainees and the disabled free of charge – without receiving any compensation.
The Court of Justice has shown convincingly that the legislature “is obliged to provide financial compensation for all cost disadvantages incurred by passenger transport companies as a result of the imposition of public service obligations,” summed up Antweiler.
Accordingly, the federal government is now responsible for adequately relieving the burden on companies. After all, the state introduces the ticket by enacting it through federal law. “The verdict forces a rethink, also with the Deutschlandticket.”
More: How the 49-euro ticket turns public transport upside down