Taxis in Naples protest fuel prices and traffic, demanding reopening of taxi stands.

Naples – High fuel prices, traffic slowing service, and concerns about administrative fines. These were the main issues at the center of the taxi drivers' demonstration held yesterday, Tuesday, October 6th, in Piazza Municipio. A union delegation met with Antonio De Iesu, Councilor for Legality, and Edoardo Cosenza, Councilor for Mobility.

The initiative was promoted by SITAN/ATN, Unimpresa, Federtaxi/Cisal, Fast/Confsal, and the Comitato Tassisti di Base (Basic Taxi Drivers Committee). In the report released after the meeting, the organizations described a discussion characterized by a greater willingness to listen than previous ones, but warned that the administration's openness must translate into concrete responses.

Fuel and traffic weigh on the service

The mobilization is driven by rising operating costs and the challenges of city road congestion. These two issues, according to the organizations behind the protests, are putting pressure on drivers' jobs.

In their discussions with the councilors, the industry representatives recalled the discussions already underway with the Prefecture and the Campania Region to identify resources and potential funding for the taxi sector.

The request is to resume the institutional discussions that were opened in recent months and then slowed down, a situation the unions also attribute to the Municipality's lack of participation in some aspects of the discussions. According to the press release, De Iesu and Cosenza have expressed their willingness to work towards reopening the discussions and revisiting the outstanding issues.

Cameras on bus lanes

Another aspect of the meeting concerned traffic and bus lane control. According to the union report, the administration announced that, in addition to the work on Via Marina, it is proceeding with the installation of additional cameras on the bus lane on Riviera di Chiaia.

The organizations have called for mobility measures to take into account the needs of taxi services, which are called upon every day to navigate a road network that the industry describes as increasingly congested.
Traffic therefore remains one of the main issues in the dispute, along with the need to make dialogue with the institutions more effective.

Sanctions, requests under consideration by the Municipality

The meeting also addressed the issue of administrative sanctions related to the activities of the Public Transport and MaaS Office. A specific discussion focused on Article 86 of the Highway Code, regarding which the unions report critical issues and significant consequences for drivers.

The associations acknowledge that any changes to the legislation require national intervention and the involvement of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. However, they have asked the Municipality to evaluate possible initiatives, within the relevant bodies, to address the issues highlighted.

According to the press release, the administration has committed to examining the proposal. If there is any room for further action, the unions will meet again to define the requests and identify viable solutions. The report does not currently indicate either measures already approved or specific timeframes for this review.

«Listening becomes concrete facts»

While not announcing definitive results, the promoters expressed a positive assessment of the meeting's atmosphere. "We didn't encounter the usual 'brick wall' that the category has too often faced," they wrote in the statement.

However, the unions emphasize that willingness to engage in dialogue is not enough to resolve the dispute. In the coming days, the unions intend to monitor the progress of the discussions and reopen discussions with the Prefecture, Region, and Municipality.

The October 6th demonstration is therefore presented as a step in a process that is still ongoing. The organizations, who also thanked the taxi drivers who attended outside of their shifts, confirm their intention to continue until concrete solutions are found for the sector.