OPINION PIECES
Pierre Steenberghen: lack of enforcement creates unfair competition in taxi sector
False self-employment remains a problem not only in the Netherlands, but also in Belgium, especially within the taxi sector. Pierre Steenberghen, secretary general of GTL (National Group of Taxi Companies), spoke out about the false self-employment that affects many taxi drivers, especially those who work for…
No more confidence in PostNL: registered mail increasingly lost or late
Postal services in the Netherlands are under pressure and it seems that there is no stopping the erosion of services. PostNL, once the proud national postal service provider, announced that business mail will no longer be guaranteed within 2025 hours from 24.
Dinner Train from Oisterwijk bankrupt for the second time: customers fear for their money
Dinner Train cancels all trips for 2024 and victims are still waiting for their money. Dinner Train from Oisterwijk, known for its unique concept of dining in a moving train through the Dutch countryside, has been declared bankrupt. This news comes after…
CDT: battle for taxi data drives small software companies out of the taxi market
The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) imposes strict requirements on ICT service providers that supply taxi transport data to the Central Taxi Transport Database (CDT). An important requirement is that these service providers must be ISO 27001 certified, a certification that sets the highest standards in the field of…
Dinner Train: months without salary, customers say it's a scam
Dinner Train cancels all rides for 2024 and victims are still waiting for their money. Dinner Train, the Oisterwijk company known for its unique dining experience in a moving train, is in dire straits. The company has decided to…
Europe's bizarre ride-sharing rules: Drivers drive for miles without passengers
Are problems faced by ride-sharing companies due to their own choice to brand themselves as “ride hailing” rather than as taxis, thereby trying to circumvent stricter taxi legislation? The current regulations in Europe regarding ride sharing…
Pisco Sour and Ceviche by the sea: the Peruvian experience at Callao restaurant
Now that the holidays are almost over for most of us, a culinary trip to Peru on the Dutch coast in the port of Scheveningen may be possible. A culinary journey to the flavors of Peru is…
Inntel The Hague Marina Beach: beautiful view, but no parking
The new four-star hotel Inntel Hotels Den Haag Marina Beach, located on the beach road in Scheveningen, offers guests a breathtaking view of the sea and the peaceful surroundings of the harbor. Staying in this luxurious hotel raises mixed feelings for some guests…
Aviation: protests against flying with one pilot in the cockpit are increasing
Airplane manufacturers think new technology will compensate for taking a pilot out of the cockpit. The discussion about the controversial project to operate commercial flights with only one pilot in the cockpit is in full swing. European pilots sound the…
Rover sounds the alarm: train too expensive for travelers after significant NS price increase
Rover advocates a strategic approach to break the negative spiral. Rover is very concerned about the announced price increase at the Dutch Railways (NS) and fears that the train will become unaffordable for many travelers. This comes on a…
Government intervenes: NS and PostNL under fire and consumers are the victims
If the current trend of deteriorating service provision continues, the long-term consequences will be significant, with potential economic and social implications for the Netherlands. The Dutch Railways (NS) recently announced that train ticket prices will increase by more…
Customers angry: Oisterwijk Dinner Train under fire after cancellations
Dinner Train promises a solution, but customers remain skeptical now that it appears that victims have to wait for a refund. The Oisterwijk company Dinner Train, known for its unique dining experience in a moving train carriage, is under fire after a series of cancellations and refund problems. Customers,…
From hobby to investment: the love for classics continues to grow
The pleasure of driving a beautifully restored car is enhanced by the knowledge that these vehicles can also be a smart investment. Classic car enthusiasts have known for a long time: old love never dies. Whether it's sunny…
Go Sharing disappears from Brabant: scooters only remain in Amsterdam
The company has announced that from now on, the shared scooters and bicycles will only be on the streets in Amsterdam. The bright green scooters and electric bicycles from Go Sharing are disappearing from the streets of Eindhoven, Tilburg and Den Bosch. The company has announced…
Aviation: why our IT infrastructure is more vulnerable than ever
European legislation as an example for IT security after Crowdstrike debacle. The catastrophic CrowdStrike outage has painfully exposed the fragility of our modern digital infrastructure. The global IT systems outage caused by a failed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. has led to chaos...
Transrapid in the IC segment: Freedom of Mobility Foundation presents ambitious vision
The Freedom of Mobility Foundation chooses the German magnetic train Transrapid 09. The Freedom of Mobility Foundation sees an important role for the Transrapid in the Netherlands, as a replacement for the conventional Intercity (IC) and possibly even the high-speed train (HST) and…
Germany: Transrapid petition reaches 55.000 signatures
The Transrapid is often labeled as one of Germany's “white elephants”: an ambitious project that continues to attract attention, but rarely in a positive sense. The petition in support of this maglev train that was started in March this year…
Ready for ministerial post: ex-real estate agent Barry Madlener wants to tackle infrastructure
He recognizes the many challenges ahead, both financial and technical, but he is determined to work with the Chamber to overcome these obstacles. Barry Madlener may become the new Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management. His motivation letter to formateur…
Incidents on the Vechtdal line: increase in fare evasion and violence against train staff
The situation on the train service between Zwolle and Emmen, better known as the Vechtdal line, has recently received a lot of attention due to a significant increase in incidents of fare evasion and violence against train crews. State Secretary for Justice and Security Eric van der Burg and…
Cyber attack on Hotel La Merveilleuse: customers duped by phishing
It is striking that booking.com, despite the fact that the bookings were made via their platform, did not inform the affected customers about the data breach. Hotel La Merveilleuse in Dinant recently fell victim to a large-scale cyber attack. Customers who make a reservation via booking.com…
Big Bus: electric buses are conquering Paris, Vienna and London this summer
Tourists visiting world cities know the image all too well: an upper deck full of people on a smelly and noisy diesel bus. Often to the great annoyance of the residents in the streets through which these buses pass. But that will change soon…
Future perspective: how SFM will continue to support the taxi industry in 2024
SFM acts as a supervisor of the collective labor agreement for Healthcare Transport and Taxi and as a knowledge center in the field of training, occupational health and safety and safety. The 2023 annual report of the Social Fund for Mobility (SFM) is out and highlights a year full of challenges and achievements within the taxi industry. Of…
Shared scooters in decline: vandalism and disrespectful use are increasing
The bright green Go Sharing shared scooters, once a symbol of modern mobility in the city, are increasingly in poor condition. Mirrors that are broken off, front covers that are hanging or even gone completely, and brakes that are bent. It seems that…
From minor offense to deep debt: the penalty factory revealed
Merel van Rooy reconstructed how the Mulder Traffic Fine Act, which was introduced in the 1990s to deal with minor traffic violations quickly and efficiently, has escalated into a system that financially ruins families. Last week our editorial team published an article about…
RET: safety and flow in tram more important than mobility scooter
Which means of transport are allowed in the vehicles and what are the conditions? A controversial ban has come into effect in Rotterdam: mobility scooters are no longer welcome on the tram. Transport company RET states that the vehicles are too large and other passengers…
Debate: discussion about headscarves on boas on the street is flaring up
Answers to questions from members Esmah Lahlah and Glimina Chakor to the Minister of Justice and Security and the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations about banning headscarves and other religious expressions on boas makes the discussion topical again.…
Report: KiM lifts the veil on hidden mobility costs
It is not easy to determine what, for example, a road user or train passenger must pay to cover infrastructure costs and the costs of negative effects. The Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy (KiM) recently published an in-depth analysis of the economic…
Passenger transport: time for an upgrade of the Passenger Transport Act 2000
Not surprising, because the law was written when there was no smartphone yet, when we could not yet digitally link forms of transport. The Passenger Transport Act 2000, a law that regulates various forms of passenger transport…
PostNL under pressure: financial and operational challenges are piling up
Herna Verhagen, CEO of PostNL, has spoken out about the need to adjust delivery days to make the company's services future-proof. PostNL is once again facing drastic changes amid financial challenges and persistent criticism...
Petition: taxis want to travel with buses on the emergency lane
Taxi drivers recently launched an online petition advocating the use of the hard shoulder by taxis during traffic jams. This proposal is inspired by the current arrangement where scheduled buses already have permission to use the emergency lane under such circumstances. The…
Voting rights in Europe: a historical struggle and contemporary practice
From 6 to 9 June 2024, millions of Europeans will help shape the future of European democracy in the European elections. While democracy is considered a given for many citizens within the European Union, it is a…