Uber In Austria: What's The Legal Status?

Uber is available in Austria, but it operates differently from the standard model seen in other countries. In Austria, Uber is classified as a “limousine service”, which means that Uber drivers must depart from their home base to collect customers and return there after dropping them off. Uber drivers are not allowed to wait on the street or pick up passengers from the street, as this is strictly reserved for taxis. Uber drivers in Austria must be affiliated with an officially registered taxi company and hold a valid taxi driver's license.

Uber drivers must have a taxi driver's license

Uber is legal in Austria, but it operates under different rules from traditional taxis. Uber is classified as a rental car service, which means it can set its own prices, while taxi fares are regulated and set by the provinces. Uber drivers in Austria must have a taxi driver's license and be affiliated with an officially registered taxi company. This is a requirement that has been in place since January 2021.

To register on the Uber platform in Austria, taxi businesses must have valid business licenses, and drivers must have valid taxi driver's licenses. Uber drivers are not allowed to use their private vehicles and must be employed by a taxi company. The taxi company decides when and where its drivers should be active, and drivers must use the Uber driver app to connect with riders.

Uber has faced some regulatory challenges in Austria. In 2019, Uber was suspended for two days due to a local taxi firm's lawsuit. Uber was allowed to resume operations after ensuring that orders for rides were booked centrally and that cars were sent from company premises and returned there between rides. Uber has also accrued fines for violating regulations, including a fine of €1.2 million for violating a rule that prohibits Uber drivers from taking passengers on the street, which is strictly reserved for taxis.

Despite these challenges, Uber continues to operate in Austria, providing a ride-hailing service in cities across the country.

Uber drivers must be affiliated with a taxi company

Uber is legal in Austria, but it operates under different rules compared to traditional taxis. Uber is classified as a rental car service, which means it can set its own prices, while taxi fares are regulated by the provinces. Uber drivers in Austria must be affiliated with a taxi company and have a valid taxi driver's license with city knowledge for the region. They cannot drive their private vehicles using the Uber driver app.

This requirement is due to local regulations, which state that all drivers registered on the Uber app must be affiliated with an officially registered taxi company. This means that Uber drivers in Austria are essentially operating as taxi drivers, just with the added layer of the Uber platform for ride-hailing.

To become an Uber driver in Austria, individuals must first obtain a taxi driver's license. They then have the option to choose between being employed by a taxi company or registering as an independent taxi business owner. If they choose the former, they will be employed by a taxi company and use a registered taxi vehicle to accept rides through the Uber app. If they choose the latter, they must own a valid taxi driver's license, register their vehicle as a taxi, and comply with all regulations applicable to taxi businesses.

It is important to note that Uber has faced regulatory challenges in Austria. According to Austrian law, Uber is considered a "limousine service," which means Uber drivers must depart from their home base to pick up customers and return there after completing a ride. They are not allowed to wait on the street or take passengers directly from the street, as this is strictly reserved for traditional taxis. Uber has been accused of violating this regulation, resulting in fines and temporary suspensions of its services in the country.

Uber is classified as a rental car service

Uber is legal in Austria, but it is classified as a rental car service, rather than a taxi service. This means that Uber drivers must be affiliated with an officially registered taxi company and have a valid taxi driver's license. They must also depart from their home base to collect customers and return there afterward. Uber drivers cannot take passengers directly from the street.

Uber's classification as a rental car service means that the company can set its own prices, whereas taxi fares are regulated and set by the provinces. In 2019, a proposed law threatened Uber's presence in Austria, as it would have subjected the company to the same price regulations as taxis. Uber Austria chief Martin Essl suggested that the company would likely withdraw from the country if this law were to be implemented.

Uber has faced other regulatory challenges in Austria. In 2018, the company was suspended for two days due to a local taxi firm's lawsuit. Uber was allowed to resume operations after ensuring that rides were booked centrally and that cars were sent from company premises, returning between rides. Uber has also been fined for violating regulations, with sources citing fines of €1.2 million.

Uber drivers cannot pick up passengers from the street

Uber is legal in Austria, but it operates under different rules from regular taxis. Uber is classified as a rental car service, which means it can set its own prices, while taxi fares are regulated by the provinces. However, Uber drivers cannot pick up passengers from the street. According to Austrian law, Uber drivers must depart from their home base to their customers and return there afterwards. This is because, in Austria, Uber is considered a "limousine service", and waiting on the street or taking passengers from the street is strictly reserved for taxis.

This distinction has been a point of contention, with Uber threatening to withdraw from Austria if a new law is passed that would subject it to the same price regulations as taxis. Uber was also suspended for two days in Austria in 2018 due to a local taxi firm's lawsuit. Uber was allowed to resume operations after ensuring that orders for rides were booked centrally and that cars would have to be sent from company premises and return there between rides.

Uber drivers in Austria must have a valid taxi driver's license and be affiliated with an officially registered taxi company. They must also use a registered taxi vehicle. Uber drivers cannot use their private vehicles for work.

Uber is available in several Austrian cities

To drive for Uber in Austria, you must be a licensed taxi driver affiliated with a taxi company. Uber drivers must have a valid taxi driver's license and use a registered taxi vehicle. Only taxi businesses with valid licenses are eligible to register on the Uber platform in Austria.

Uber has faced legal challenges in Austria due to conflicts with existing taxi companies and non-compliance with local regulations. In 2019, Uber threatened to withdraw from Austria if a new law subjected it to the same price regulations as taxis. Uber was also suspended for two days in 2018 due to a local taxi firm's lawsuit. Despite these challenges, Uber continues to operate in several Austrian cities, providing a ride-hailing service to passengers.

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