The colorful change: Is the era of beige taxis ending in Germany?

The colorful change: Is the era of beige taxis ending in Germany?

A lot has happened in the taxi market nationwide, not least because of new regulations in Saxony-Anhalt, which could soon give the transport industry a completely new look. If we look back over the last few decades, we see that not only telephone connection options or police uniforms have changed, but also the colors of taxis - and this transformation continues. The classic color for taxis, light ivory (RAL 1015), was introduced in 1971 after the then Transport Minister Georg Leber ordered the color change from black to light beige. The entrepreneurs then had five years to make the change, and since then these vehicles have dominated the streets of many German cities.

However, it is now clear that the taxi image is changing. A third of the 16 federal states now allow deviations from the traditional color scheme. The streets of North Rhine-Westphalia remain light beige for the time being, but federal states such as Saxony-Anhalt have taken the first step and introduced the freedom to choose the color. Minister Lydia Hüskens from the FDP sees this not only as an economic opportunity, but also as a contribution to flexibility in competition. However, skeptics warn that recognizability could fall by the wayside without a uniform color scheme.

The advantages of light beige taxis

There are definitely practical reasons for the choice of colors that has been left behind. Light colors like light ivory show less dust and dirt, which is important for taxi operators as they always want to present their vehicles in a clean and inviting condition. In addition, dark cars heat up excessively in summer without air conditioning - an aspect that is particularly important for taxi drivers. Experts such as Hermann Waldner, Vice President of the Federal Association of Taxi and Rental Cars, emphasize that dark taxis are less conspicuous and traffic safety is increased by the visible, bright vehicles.

Interestingly, the color light ivory is not required nationwide. There are a number of exceptions - some federal states, including Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony, and Rhineland-Palatinate, have already established freedom of choice for taxi operators. However, most taxi companies choose to stick with light ivory because passengers are used to this color and it is highly recognizable.

The future of the taxi industry

While a start is being made in Saxony-Anhalt, other federal states are adopting a calm tone. However, experts emphasize that not much will change in terms of the recognizability of taxis, because taxis still have to be recognizable as such: they can still be clearly identified with taxi lights on the roof and the prescribed labeling. A serial number on the rear window is also necessary to clearly differentiate the green competitors from Uber and Co.

The discussion about taxi colors is far from over, and while we look ahead to the next steps in the taxi and rental car industry, we can only hope that the tried and tested light ivory will continue to accompany us on the roads.