A cry of alarm that becomes a social protest. Neapolitan taxi drivers who are not union members are once again raising their voices against what they call "the complicit silence of the institutions" in the face of the spread of illegal transport. A battle that touches the raw nerve of urban mobility.
We all know it. The institutions know it. Every citizen who searches for a taxi on the street or at the airport sees it. The problem of illegal transport in Naples is no longer an emergency; it's become the norm. And we, regular taxi drivers, are tired of being fooled.
Every year, we industry professionals have to jump through a thousand bureaucratic hurdles: license renewals, drug tests, and widespread inspections. We pay taxes, comply with stringent regulations, and keep our vehicles in tip-top condition. And then what happens? I drive around the city and see unlicensed cars operating taxi services with impunity, stealing customers and engaging in unfair competition.
Where is the justice?
The municipal administration seems to have abandoned us. GESAC, which should be monitoring, is turning a blind eye. We are here, 2.376 families who live thanks to this work, and we feel cheated. This is why we applaud the initiative of the Consortaxi Consortium, which had the courage to report this whole mess to the Prosecutor's Office.
But I wonder: what is the City Council waiting for? What is the plan to stop this disgrace? Why must those who work honestly always pay the highest price?
The feeling is that they want to do us in. That someone is trying to bring us to our knees. But they're miscalculating. We're not numbers, we're people. We're fathers and mothers. We're the ones who keep this city's economy humming, providing essential services.
And we are ready to fight.
We won't stay silent. We won't let ourselves be cornered. If necessary, we will take to the streets, block roads, and make our voices heard. Because this isn't just a matter of jobs, it's a matter of dignity.
To the illegal taxi drivers, I say: the gravy train is over. To the City Council, I say: either you help us, or we'll get ready to make some noise.
Because we, the taxi drivers who don't belong to the union, are tired of being the only ones who respect the rules in a city where illegality seems to be the only law that matters. And this time, no one will stop us."
The signature is from Taxi Drivers Not Members of Trade Unions
Illegal taxis in Naples are a very complex issue. It's unfair that those who follow the rules must always suffer unfair competition. I hope the authorities will listen to this request and take effective action to combat the problem.