SHARE
COPY LINK

STRIKES

What to expect from Italy’s taxi strike on Tuesday

Italy's taxi drivers are set to strike for 24 hours on Tuesday, October 10th, over a new decree allowing Italian cities to issue more taxi licenses.

Taxi drivers are set to strike across Italy on Tuesday to protest a new law.
Taxi drivers are set to strike across Italy on Tuesday to protest a new law. Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE / AFP.

Taxi services across Italy are likely to be harder to find than ever on Tuesday, October 10th, after unions representing taxi drivers called a nationwide 24-hour taxi strike.

It’s not yet known how many drivers will participate in the walkout, but anyone planning to use their services on Tuesday should be prepared to find alternative transportation.

Public transport services should be running as normal, following a separate 24-hour local public transport strike on Monday, October 9th.

Unions are protesting the final approval on Tuesday of a decree which will allow local authorities to issue more taxi licenses – a move intended to ease longstanding taxi shortages.

Italy’s major cities have a smaller number of taxis – and taxi licenses – available compared to cities like London and Paris, and visitors this summer reported difficulties with finding a cab.

Rome, Milan and other cities will now be allowed to increase the number of licenses available by up to 20 percent via a fast-track approvals process.

READ ALSO: Italy investigates taxi sector over long waits and payment issues

The Orsa taxi drivers’ union national secretary Rosario Galluccio told reporters the decree is “full of pitfalls and dangers,” arguing that the fact that companies are eligible to participate in the bid process “risks benefitting multinationals.”

Some Italian mayors have also criticised the law’s requirement that any municipalities wanting to take advantage of the fast-track process must forfeit the 20 percent cut they would normally receive from each license fee.

Instead, the decree provides for the entire amount of the fee (instead of the usual 80 percent) to be split between existing licence-holders.

“We are talking about several million for a city like Rome,” Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri complained when speaking at an event last week, calling the choice “an absurd mistake”.

But Gualtieri agreed there was a pressing need for a greater number of taxis in the Italian capital.

“There has been a structural growth in tourism in Rome… and this has unbalanced the relationship between supply and demand.

“There are times and places where it is very problematic to find taxis.”

READ ALSO: Reader question: Why can’t I get an Uber in Italy?

In August, Italy’s competition watchdog said it was investigating the country’s taxi sector, which is run by a powerful lobby, following reports of long wait times and repeated refusals on the part of drivers to accept card payments.

Taxi drivers have also previously gone on strike over plans to allow car ride-hailing services such as Uber to operate in Italy.

Uber is still not allowed in Italy, though in 2022 the multinational launched a partnership with the country’s largest taxi dispatcher that means passengers can book a cab through the app.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

STRIKES

What to expect from Italy’s nationwide rail strike on Sunday

Train passengers in Italy may face disruption on Sunday, June 16th, as staff at railway operators including Trenitalia and Trenord plan a 23-hour strike.

What to expect from Italy’s nationwide rail strike on Sunday

Anyone planning to travel by train this weekend could face delays or cancellations as staff at state-owned railway operators Trenitalia, Trenord and Trenitalia Tper plan to strike from 3am on Sunday, June 16th to 2am on Monday, June 17th, for a total of 23 hours.

The walkout was called by the PdM/PdB transport union in early May to demand the renewal of collective labour agreements in the rail transport sector.

Originally scheduled for Sunday, May 19th, the protest was later postponed to June 16th following a government injunction citing public safety concerns due to an overlap with the Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix.

While rail companies are legally required to guarantee the operation of a number of minimum services (servizi minimi) during strikes taking place on weekdays, there’s no such requirement for weekend walkouts.

This means that operators are free to decide whether or not to guarantee minimum services for passengers.

Trenitalia 

National rail operator Trenitalia said in a statement that their services “may experience cancellations or changes” for the entire length of the strike, though the protest may also “result in service variations both before its start and after its end”. 

Trenitalia said it will operate a number of minimum services during the walkout. These are available here.

READ ALSO: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in summer 2024

The operator advised passengers planning to travel on Sunday to check the status of their journey via the Infomobilità section of their website, their mobile app, or by calling toll-free number 800 89 20 21.

Passengers who have booked Intercity or Frecce journeys for Sunday and wish to cancel their trips will have until the scheduled departure time to request a refund. 

Passengers who have purchased regional train tickets will have to submit their refund requests by midnight on Saturday.

Trenord

Trenord, which operates a number of regional trains in the Lombardy region, including links to and from Milan’s Malpensa Airport, said that the walkout “may have repercussions” on all of their scheduled services.

People board a regional train at Milan's Stazione Centrale

People board a regional train at Milan’s Stazione Centrale. Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP

Trenord will not operate minimum services during the strike. However, should airport link services be cancelled, replacement buses will run the same routes. 

See Trenord’s website or mobile app for the latest updates.

Trenitalia Tper

Trenitalia Tper, which operates a number of trains in the Emilia-Romagna region, said that their services “may experience cancellations or changes” due to the walkout. 

Passengers travelling before the start or after the end of the protest may also face disruption, the statement said.

Trenitalia Tper will guarantee the operation of a number of minimum services (servizi minimi) during the day. These can be consulted here.

See their website for the latest updates.

Italo

A statement from Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, which owns and manages all of Italy’s railway network, said the walkout will only involve staff at state-owned operators Trenitalia, Trenitalia Tper and Trenord, meaning that scheduled services from private long-distance operator Italo will go ahead as normal on Sunday. 

What to do if your train is cancelled

If a pre-booked rail service is cancelled due to strike action in Italy, passengers are normally allowed to travel on other equivalent services or are entitled to a refund.

Passengers travelling with Trenitalia can request a refund either at the station or by completing this web form, whereas Italo generally issues refunds automatically.

Keep up with the latest updates in The Local’s strike news section.

SHOW COMMENTS