App makes it easier to find accessible taxi cabs

Finding an accessible cab in Berlin is set to become much easier.

Anyone wishing to book or pre-order such a cab can use the Freenow app in future. The Senate Department for Social Services and Freenow announced on Friday in Berlin that 80 accessible vehicles from various companies are bundled there. The service is a great help for people with disabilities, who previously had to contact individual cab companies, explained a Freenow spokesperson.

Number of available vehicles to increase further

"The fleet comprises well over half of the accessible cabs licensed in Berlin, setting new standards. We are already working on further increasing the number of vehicles available," said Alexander Mönch, President of Freenow Germany and Austria. In addition to political will and sufficient financial support, the cab industry also needs to make an effort to implement the necessary purchases and conversions in order to expand the service, demanded activist Raul Krauthausen, board member of the Sozialheld*Innen association.

"WirMobil" offers private trips for people with disabilities

The State of Berlin has reportedly already made around 20 million euros available from 2019 to 2023 for the conversion or purchase of inclusive cabs. The state is also funding the "WirMobil", a transportation service for people with disabilities for private trips in their free time. From July 2021 to the end of June 2026, 41.2 million euros will be available for this purpose.