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Car sharing: Sixt and Unterhaching haggle over risk sharing

2022-11-25T09:38:54.638Z


The pilot phase for car sharing in Unterhaching ends on March 31, 2023, three months earlier than planned. A heated debate erupted in the local council about involvement in potential car rental losses.


The pilot phase for car sharing in Unterhaching ends on March 31, 2023, three months earlier than planned.

A heated debate erupted in the local council about involvement in potential car rental losses.

Unterhaching

- Any losses by the Sixt car rental company in the first quarter are cushioned by the municipality of Unterhaching with a maximum of 12,000 euros.

And a call for tenders is to finally establish car sharing at new conditions from April.

The municipal council agreed on this compromise after a heated debate.

Outburst of anger: "I'm leaving the negotiating table"

"I feel like I'm in a bazaar," complained SPD parliamentary group leader Peter Wöstenbrink.

"I lose patience and leave the negotiating table." The background to his outburst of anger: the haggling over the community's share of the risk.

The town hall administration had proposed capping this for six months to 3500 euros per month – which the finance committee rejected.

The Sixt company then countered with a counter-offer: instead of six months, the pilot phase should only be extended by three months - but then with a deficit compensation by the municipality up to an upper limit of 6000 euros per month.

Sixt puts community under pressure

But that's not all.

According to City Hall employee Sascha Monger, Sixt let it be known that the continuation of the car-sharing project without municipal participation was “almost impossible” after that.

"That pisses me off.

It can't be that we as a community have to bear the losses of a company," complained FWU boss Alfons Hofstetter.

Peter Hupfauer (FDP) saw it the same way: "Car sharing in itself is a great idea, but I always thought that in the end it would pay for itself in the private sector." Permanent subsidies are the wrong way.

Green municipal council: keep an eye on the big picture of the mobility turnaround

On the other hand, Armin Konetschny (Greens) warned that with regard to a future-oriented mobility turnaround, one had to “see the big picture”.

In addition to expanding cycle paths and improving public transport, this also includes car sharing as a building block - after all, according to statistics, there are around 2000 active users of short-term rental cars in Unterhaching: "It would be a slap in the face for them if we started this Finish the project after just one and a half.

We don't just have to say a, but also b.” Right now there is a chance that people will do without a second or third car – you shouldn't jeopardize this trend lightly.

A compromise, then the cards are reshuffled

18,000 euros (Sixt wish) for three months instead of 21,000 euros for six months (town hall suggestion): In the end, Mayor Wolfgang Panzer (SPD) made a “suggestion for quality” that was accepted by the majority as a “signal to the provider”: 12 000 euros for three months - and then the cards are completely reshuffled.

City hall spokesman Simon Hötzl estimates that these maximum amounts would not be exhausted anyway: On average, the municipality had to contribute 2,900 euros per month so far, which would be another 8,700 euros from January to March.

According to Hötzl, the challenge is rather to get the invitation to tender with all the desired details, such as more “free float” for car sharing in the Unterhaching area, according to the criticism, in this time shortened by three months, commuter use for trips to Munich or to the airport.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-11-25

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