Private railway companies repeatedly criticize the fact that many countries, including Austria, practice so-called direct awarding of subsidized routes or commissioned traffic. In the Alpine republic, the ÖBB usually gets the chance or regionally active providers. Contracts awarded to new providers are practically non-existent.
If it is up to the Vida union, it should stay that way. They fear that if the PSO directive is implemented, the lowest bidder concept will prevail and this could lead to "wage-cutting". They point to the allegedly chaotic situation in Germany and the United Kingdom, where routes have long been awarded by tender.