Stop the Digital Paradox: Bring Uber back to NRW's Mobility Guarantee!

1. The Reality on the Platform: Stranded at a Minute's Notice Anyone commuting in NRW knows the scenario: The app shows a green "on time" status until the very last second, but exactly 5 minutes before scheduled departure, the screen flashes "Canceled." Even worse is the trend of bypassing entire stations mid-route—trains simply skip scheduled stops "due to operational reasons," leaving passengers stranded with no replacement buses, no staff, and zero information. Despite paying for expensive monthly subscriptions or the Deutschlandticket, commuters are regularly left helpless on the platforms.
2. The Absurd Digital Paradox Transit companies loudly demand absolute digitalization. Everything—from buying tickets to submitting digital reimbursement claims—is being forced onto smartphone apps. It is fundamentally contradictory and anti-consumer that the moment passengers use a purely digital, transparent, and often cheaper alternative like Uber during a rail emergency, reimbursement is denied (a change quietly implemented on January 1, 2025).
3. Unfair Disadvantages (Traditional Taxis vs. Uber) When a train is canceled 5 minutes before departure, every second counts. An Uber is instantly requestable via an app and displays pricing transparently upfront. A traditional taxi, on the other hand, is often impossible to reach via phone hotlines during peak times or late at night. Furthermore, traditional taxi fares on longer routes routinely skyrocket past the rigid reimbursement limits (30 € during the day, 60 € at night), whereas Uber rides are frequently more cost-effective.
4. A Barrier for Expats and All Generations This decision hurts our entire community:

• Expats & International Residents: Cities like Düsseldorf, Cologne, Bonn, and Dortmund are home to a massive international population. For them, a multilingual app like Uber is a vital, barrier-free lifeline because it eliminates the language barriers faced when calling traditional German taxi dispatch centers.
• Commuters & Families: They need a reliable way to get to work or get home to their children without being financially abandoned when the rail system breaks down.
• Students & Young People: Most do not own a car and simply cannot afford to pay high out-of-pocket taxi costs without a fair option for a refund.

We demand flexibility instead of bureaucratic bans. The NRW Mobility Guarantee must live up to its name and recognize digital mobility!