Italy announces more taxi licences under plans to fix shortage
The Italian government said it planned to increase the number of taxi licences, particularly in major cities with severe shortages as no new licences have been issued since 2006.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's cabinet on Monday adopted a decree law which allows councils to issue extra temporary licences to cope with high demand linked to peaks in tourist arrivals or major events.
Big cities and those with international airports will be able to increase licence numbers by up to 20 percent, although applicants for the new permits must use electric or hybrid vehicles, the transport ministry said.
READ ALSO: 'I've given up': How hard is it to get a taxi in Italian cities?
The new permits will last up to two years, it said, and it was unclear whether they could be renewed.
Parliament now has two months to convert the decree into law, during which time it may be changed.
The government said it was looking for solutions after the Italian competition watchdog last week launched an investigation into the taxi sector.
The watchdog said there were “critical issues” in Rome, Milan and Naples, with customers reporting long waiting times and some drivers refusing to take card payments.
READ ALSO: Why it’s so hard to find a taxi in Italy this summer
Italy has long experienced taxi shortages, with the situation usually blamed on the fact that authorities in Italy’s biggest cities have not issued any new taxi licences for almost two decades.
Italy’s taxi drivers are a powerful lobby and have held strikes to block previous efforts to increase competition. They are particularly loathe to allow an increase in the number of licenses, fearing they would be worth less on resale.
Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP.
The chronic issues with taxis in Italy have been in the spotlight this summer amid the return of mass tourism post-pandemic, with fears that this could cause serious problems at upcoming major events including the Catholic Church's 2025 Jubilee in Rome and the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The Italian capital Rome today has around 7,800 taxis for some 2.8 million inhabitants. In comparison, French capital Paris has 18,500 for a similar number of inhabitants, as well as a much more developed public transport network.
Milan meanwhile has just 4,900 taxis and 1.3 million residents.
READ ALSO: Why can’t I get an Uber in Italy?
In June, an attempt by the mayor of Milan to issue 1,000 new licences was rejected by regional authorities, and Rome and Milan, Italy’s two largest cities, haven’t issued any new taxi licences since 2006.
Compounding the problem, there are few alternatives to traditional taxi services in Italy.
While ride-hailing apps have become a standard way of getting around other cities worldwide, Uber remains banned in Italy over concerns about unfair competition for taxi drivers.
After striking a deal with taxi dispatcher IT Taxi last year, Uber Black – the ‘luxury’ version of the popular app – is now available in ten Italian cities, but services remain very limited.
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Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's cabinet on Monday adopted a decree law which allows councils to issue extra temporary licences to cope with high demand linked to peaks in tourist arrivals or major events.
Big cities and those with international airports will be able to increase licence numbers by up to 20 percent, although applicants for the new permits must use electric or hybrid vehicles, the transport ministry said.
READ ALSO: 'I've given up': How hard is it to get a taxi in Italian cities?
The new permits will last up to two years, it said, and it was unclear whether they could be renewed.
Parliament now has two months to convert the decree into law, during which time it may be changed.
The government said it was looking for solutions after the Italian competition watchdog last week launched an investigation into the taxi sector.
The watchdog said there were “critical issues” in Rome, Milan and Naples, with customers reporting long waiting times and some drivers refusing to take card payments.
READ ALSO: Why it’s so hard to find a taxi in Italy this summer
Italy has long experienced taxi shortages, with the situation usually blamed on the fact that authorities in Italy’s biggest cities have not issued any new taxi licences for almost two decades.
Italy’s taxi drivers are a powerful lobby and have held strikes to block previous efforts to increase competition. They are particularly loathe to allow an increase in the number of licenses, fearing they would be worth less on resale.
The chronic issues with taxis in Italy have been in the spotlight this summer amid the return of mass tourism post-pandemic, with fears that this could cause serious problems at upcoming major events including the Catholic Church's 2025 Jubilee in Rome and the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
The Italian capital Rome today has around 7,800 taxis for some 2.8 million inhabitants. In comparison, French capital Paris has 18,500 for a similar number of inhabitants, as well as a much more developed public transport network.
Milan meanwhile has just 4,900 taxis and 1.3 million residents.
READ ALSO: Why can’t I get an Uber in Italy?
In June, an attempt by the mayor of Milan to issue 1,000 new licences was rejected by regional authorities, and Rome and Milan, Italy’s two largest cities, haven’t issued any new taxi licences since 2006.
Compounding the problem, there are few alternatives to traditional taxi services in Italy.
While ride-hailing apps have become a standard way of getting around other cities worldwide, Uber remains banned in Italy over concerns about unfair competition for taxi drivers.
After striking a deal with taxi dispatcher IT Taxi last year, Uber Black – the ‘luxury’ version of the popular app – is now available in ten Italian cities, but services remain very limited.
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