Stricter taxi checks draw complaints in Vienna and Lower Austria

Taxi drivers and operators are raising concerns about stricter checks on local knowledge in Vienna and Lower Austria, ORF reported. A taxi operator from Groß-Enzersdorf says the rules could put cross-border journeys at risk and harm businesses and customers.

During a targeted operation in the two states at the end of October, authorities checked 299 vehicles and stopped 93 taxi drivers who lacked local knowledge, Vienna police said. Taxi operator Thomas Gleiszner said numerous citations were issued at Vienna-Schwechat Airport.

Gleiszner says he can take passengers to the airport but is effectively unable to pick them up, even for pre-booked journeys, because he does not have the required local knowledge for Schwechat. He also fears that journeys to Vienna could lead to citations despite his knowledge of the city, because the two states have different operating rules.

In Lower Austria, the location of a vehicle’s first-aid kit must be marked with a white cross on a green background. Parked vehicles must also be marked as “booked”, “occupied” or “out of service”, and information about the vehicle and its fare must be visible on the dashboard. For journeys to or from Vienna, drivers must carry documents required under Vienna’s rules and the federal operating regulations, as well as an extract from the business register known as a GISA extract.

Gleiszner has submitted a complaint to the Austrian Ombudsman Board. He says he no longer has legal certainty and could face penalties for carrying out his business. He also warns that a citation could affect renewal of a taxi driver’s permit, which is required every five years.

The chambers of commerce in Vienna and Lower Austria are asking affected drivers to send them copies of citations. The outcome of any appeals against penalty notices is unclear. The chambers also say they cannot currently accept new registrations for additional local-knowledge exams because of capacity limits and hundreds of applications.