Taxi and NCC drivers protest fuel costs outside Italy's transport ministry in Rome

A first joint protest in Rome

Taxi drivers and operators of non-scheduled car hire with driver (NCC) gathered on Monday, 26 October, outside the Ministry of Transport at Porta Pia in Rome to protest rising fuel prices. Rai News reported around 300 people from 10:00 that morning, while the organisers put the number at 300 to 400, with delegations travelling from across Italy. The taxi side was organised by itTaxi, Uri and Unicoop, and the NCC side by the Muoversi network, and Adnkronos described the two categories as united for the first time. The participants were off-duty drivers, and no taxi vehicles were planned for the protest area. Andrea Romano, who heads the Muoversi network, said the differences between the groups had not disappeared, but that there had never been a joint mobilisation before.

Fuel prices and the demands

The organisers called the fuel price increase unsustainable, saying it squeezes incomes and makes the service more costly to run. Their demands combine emergency measures with structural ones, led by a professional fuel rate, meaning petrol and diesel without excise duty. Massimiliano Pagano of itTaxi Naples said the demands were not absurd and pointed to excise breaks that other sectors already receive. Loreno Bittarelli, president of itTaxi, said Spanish taxis cost less to run because they have professional fuel, and he added that Italy offers no incentives for electric cars while Greece offers up to 50%.

“Give it to us too, and you will see what we do.”

Costs for operators

Giulio Aloisi, founder of Anitrav, the national association of passenger transport companies, told Tgcom24 that spending had risen 40% because of fuel. He said the increase has been ongoing since May and is weighing heavily on rental and taxi companies. Aloisi said Anitrav will present a document with taxi associations asking for tax relief and, if possible, a one-off contribution. Tgcom24 described the taxi drivers at the sit-in as being on strike over fuel costs.

Government response and next steps

Walter Sacco, who represents itTaxi and said the group brings together about 15,000 taxi drivers, spoke at the sit-in.

“The government should listen to us, otherwise we do not rule out a strike.”

Protesters said that all unions, including those not present, had sent a request to be heard and that it had been ignored. Rai News reported that the demonstrators want a meeting with the minister, Matteo Salvini. A delegation will present the ministry with a document setting out the categories' demands. The articles do not report any response from the ministry or the government.