Kohler Transfer

What Kohler Transfer does

Köhler Transfer (legal entity: Köhler-Transfer GmbH & Co. KG) is a Frankfurt am Main-based specialized transportation services provider for people with disabilities, operating across six German federal states (Hessen, Bayern, Baden-Württemberg, Thüringen, Sachsen, and Rheinland-Pfalz). The company transports children and adults with disabilities to schools, workshops, day care facilities, and medical appointments, serving approximately 11,650 passengers daily (2025 average) with a fleet of about 1,941 specially equipped vehicles — primarily Ford Transit variants modified for wheelchair accessibility in compliance with DIN 75078-1/-2 and ISO 7176-19 standards.

The company operates a hub-and-spoke model through six regional branches (Frankfurt HQ, Mannheim, Karlsfeld, Ochsenfurt, Büttstedt, and a Hessen operations office), supported by an in-house centralized database software for tour planning, vehicle management, and personnel administration. Revenue is generated primarily through multi-year contracted services awarded by public institutions (communes, Landratsämter, welfare associations) under public procurement, with a secondary, smaller stream from individually booked private rides (Individualfahrten) in the Munich and Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen areas, partially facilitated by partnerships with statutory health insurers (AOK, DAK-Gesundheit, Knappschaft).

Go-to-market combines B2B enterprise field sales for institutional contracts with a direct-to-consumer booking channel via the fahrdienst-online.de platform (BüroCom Software). The company was founded in 2003 by Ralf Köhler and converted to a GmbH & Co. KG structure in 2010. It remains privately held, founder-influenced, with no documented external institutional investment, and has grown organically to approximately 2,649 employees (2025 average), 21% of whom are severely disabled, with a separate headquarters workforce of roughly 1,620 staff in Frankfurt.

Name

Kohler Transfer

Legal name

Köhler-Transfer GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://koehlertransfer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Köhler Transfer is a Frankfurt-based specialized transportation provider for people with disabilities in Germany, operating a fleet of ~1,941 wheelchair-accessible vehicles across six federal states to serve public institutions, schools, and private individuals requiring assisted mobility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialized Disability Transportation Services

NAICS

Special Needs Transportation (485991), Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (485)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) & Wheelchair/Stretcher Transport (HLAFANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Facility-Based Patient Transport (Hospitals, SNFs, Dialysis Centers) (TLAFAKAG)

Keywords

• Disability transportation services
• Wheelchair accessible transport
• Paratransit services
• Specialized passenger transport
• Mobility assistance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Contracted Transportation Services: Core revenue from contracts with public institutions (communes, landratsämter, welfare associations) for transportation of people with disabilities to schools, workshops, and day care facilities. Pricing factors include kilometers traveled, time required, personnel costs, contract duration, fuel prices, and maintenance costs.
2. Individual Private Rides: Private individual rides in Munich and Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen area, billed on invoice. Covers medical trips (dialysis, radiation, rehabilitation), doctor visits, and event transportation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Köhler Transfer is a specialized transportation and escort service provider for children and adults with disabilities in Germany, operating a TÜV-certified fleet of approximately 1,941 wheelchair-accessible vehicles across six federal states. Core offerings include contracted door-to-door transport to schools, workshops, and day care facilities, plus individual private rides for medical appointments (dialysis, radiation, rehabilitation), all delivered through six regional branches with proprietary route planning software.

Product overview

Kohler Transfer operates as a specialized transportation service for people with disabilities, offering core transportation and escort services across five German states (Hessen, Bayern, Baden-Württemberg, Thüringen, Sachsen). The portfolio includes specialized wheelchair-accessible vehicles (Ford Transit variants) for daily transport to schools, workshops, and day care facilities, supplemented by private individual rides in select regions. The company uses proprietary tour planning software developed in-house and maintains partnerships with sports clubs for fan transportation. Services are delivered through a network of branches under TÜV certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beförderung und Begleitung (Transportation and Escort Services)

Quantifiable outcome

• 12,930 passengers transported daily (2025 average)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FC Bayern MünchencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership since 2024 for accompanying fans with disabilities to all home games at Allianz Arena. Free transportation from home door to stadium and back. After a successful test phase, the cooperation officially launched in 2024. Expands the company's commitment to sports fans with disabilities in Bavaria.
• Eintracht FrankfurtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership since 2019 for voluntary accompaniment of fans with disabilities to Bundesliga home games at Deutsche Bank Park. Köhler Transfer drivers (themselves Eintracht fans) voluntarily escort wheelchair users and fans with disabilities to matches. The company supports this initiative as part of its social responsibility and community engagement. Transportation is provided free of charge.
• AOKminorOthersHealth insurance partner for covered transportation services (individual rides) in Munich area.
• DAK-GesundheitminorOthersHealth insurance partner for covered transportation services (individual rides) in Munich area.
• KnappschaftminorOthersHealth insurance partner for covered transportation services (individual rides) in Munich area.
• Bezirk OberbayernminorOthersRegional government partner for transportation services in Upper Bavaria.
• Bezirk MittelfrankenminorOthersRegional government partner for transportation services in Central Franconia.
• ADAC gelb hilftminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFirst aid training partner providing standardized first aid courses specifically designed for transporting people with disabilities. Courses conducted directly in service areas.
• LUKE'S Erste-Hilfe-KursminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFirst aid training partner for employee training courses, including optional 'Emergency at Child' training covering special first aid measures for children.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Transdev GmbH: One of Germany's largest public transport operators, providing bus and paratransit services including special-needs transportation under various regional brands. Comparable as a multi-state operator with overlapping demand-responsive and contracted service offerings to municipalities.
• Modivcare: US-listed leader in non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) and personal care services. Comparable in business model of contracted Medicaid/insurance-paid transport for special-needs populations, though at much larger scale and on a different regulatory framework.
• DB Regio Bus: Deutsche Bahn's regional bus division, operating scheduled and flexible transport services across Germany including accessible and demand-responsive offerings. Comparable as a large multi-state passenger transport operator with overlapping institutional and accessibility service lines.
• Rhenus Veniro: German public transport operator within the Rethmann Group, running bus and on-demand mobility services including accessibility-oriented transport in multiple federal states. Comparable as a multi-state contracted passenger transport provider with paratransit capabilities.

Direct peers

• Malteser Hilfsdienst: German charitable organization operating patient transport and disability transportation services across Germany. Comparable in providing wheelchair-accessible transport under contracted and reimbursement models, though as a non-profit with broader medical and emergency service scope.
• Johanniter Unfall-Hilfe: Major German aid organization providing patient transport, disability transport, and accompanying services nationwide. Comparable in operating wheelchair-accessible fleets under both Krankenkassen reimbursement and institutional contracts, with overlapping TÜV-style compliance requirements.
• Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (DRK): Germany's Red Cross society, providing patient transport, mobility services, and accompanying services for people with disabilities via regional chapters. Directly comparable in wheelchair-accessible contracted transport services to schools, workshops, and medical facilities across multiple federal states.
• Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB): German welfare and aid organization providing patient transport, disability transport, and accompanying services. Comparable in operating multi-state fleets for institutional and individual transport of mobility-impaired passengers, frequently contracted by municipalities and Krankenkassen.

Regional players

• Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG): Munich's municipal public transport operator, providing bus, tram, U-Bahn, and paratransit services including special-needs transport in Köhler Transfer's core Individualfahrten market. Comparable as a regulated operator of accessible passenger transport within Bavaria.

Emerging players

• GoGoGrandparent: US-based on-demand transportation platform for seniors and people with disabilities, providing non-emergency rides via a tech-enabled dispatcher model. Comparable as a digitally-enabled layer over accessible transport, though geographically and structurally different in scale and ownership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/koehlertransfer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/koehler-transfer
• Instagraminstagram.com/koehler_transfer

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kohler Transfer