Naples – The main taxi industry unions – Confail – Federtaxi/Cisal-Fast Confsal- Sitan/Atn- UGL Taxi-Uri/Taxi – UTI/Consortaxi- Associazione Tassisti di Base- Unimpresa – today filed a formal complaint with the Transport Regulatory Authority denouncing the collapse of urban mobility in Naples and its serious impact on non-scheduled public transport services.
The emergency situation
The letter, addressed to all relevant ART managers (Paniccia, Altamura, Pizzichetta, and Gandiglio), describes a "critical and persistent" situation in which chronic traffic congestion "compromises the regular operation of the service on a daily basis." The associations emphasize how this traffic chaos effectively renders "current fare regulations inapplicable," nullifying the predetermined minimum fares established by Law No. 21/1992.
The consequences for citizens and workers
The critical issues translate into a double damage: quenching thirst for users, who cannot count on an efficient service.
Unsustainable economic losses for operators, with "significant lost revenue" and a concrete "economic damage to the industry", as well as serious "damage to the image of the 'Citizen Taxi' service".
The failure of the previous tables
The unions recall having repeatedly alerted local authorities, providing documentation and requesting meetings at the Prefecture and the Municipality. However, "no concrete measures have been adopted to protect the sector, nor have any decisive meetings been held," despite numerous reminders.
Formal requests to the ART (Transport Regulatory Authority)
Faced with local inertia, the organizations are asking the ART to act as guarantor and urgently urge the City of Naples—directly involving Mayor Gaetano Manfredi and the Departments of Legality and Transport—to adopt two priority measures:
The development of an effective Urban Traffic Plan, aimed at ensuring smooth traffic flow and consistent service times.
The immediate reactivation of the Limited Traffic Zones (ZTLs) currently suspended, a measure deemed essential to comply not only with European regulations, but above all with Law 21/1992 which regulates the service.
The document concludes with an appeal to the ART, "trusting in the Authority's usual attention" and hoping for "prompt feedback" on the initiatives it will consider undertaking with the Municipality. The unanimous mobilization of all the representative bodies of the sector signals the gravity of a situation now considered to be at the limit of sustainability.
The article highlights a serious problem for taxi drivers in Naples, but I don't understand why the authorities aren't taking action. The situation is truly critical and the losses are high; immediate action is needed to resolve the situation.