Bologna, 28 April 2024 – The opinion of the Transport Regulatory Authority (Art) to the agreement between the Municipality and the main taxi driver trade associations is on the way. Mayor Matteo Lepore announced, in an Instagram live broadcast, that there is approval from the Authority toissuing of the 72 new licenses as agreed with Unica, Cna, Ascom and Confartigianato, but in reality the process is still ongoing because additions have been requested. The green light, however, is expected soon. At that point “we will put out the tender for licenses“, confirms Lepore. Who, via social media, promises: “Bologna will have more taxis. We are changing shifts, it is happening an app to monitor the number of taxis. There is a need for more taxis in Bologna, especially at weekends and in the evening”, explains the mayor, who also announces news for connections with Marconi airport, in view of the summer.
Councilor Valentina Orioli explains that the plan sent to the Art includes not only the 72 licenses, but precisely “a reorganization of shifts, increasing the presence of taxis there evening It is in the weekend“. A remodeling also due to the transformation of the city. “Before Bologna was only the city of the Fair, today it has had a great increase in tourism which requires an increase in taxi numbers in the evenings and on weekends. The tables will also continue to see how to improve the service at Marconi. The People Mover gives us a big hand, but we will have to strengthen the transport offer”, insists the councilor.
A request, that of increasing the number of taxis in our airport – given the continuous queues – also arrived in recent days from the CEO of Marconi, Nazareno Ventola: “If there was an increase in licenses and an increase in services connecting to the city through taxis, for us they would only be welcome. Because we see the queues, especially at certain times. People wait a long time. If it can be done we would be happy with something.” Waiting to understand precisely the next developments, several nodes remain on the table. One of these, he says Mirko Bergonzoni (regional secretary of Uiltrasporti), is the one linked to the lack of ad hoc licenses for the transport of disabled people. “The new licenses obviously also allow the car to be equipped for these users, but the discounts provided are not enough to incentivize the drivers”, complains Bergonzoni. Not only. For Uiltrasporti “we have been remodulating shifts for 30 years depending on the changes in the city. It was not important to link it to the process on licenses and tariffs. This whole plan seems like a great marketing operation to me. When the Art’s opinion arrives we will see the to be done. We do not rule out appeals…”.
The 72 licenses are in the sights: “Are we sure they are the right number? I don’t know that a monitoring commission has been set up.” The fact remains that in the last Mobility Commission of 18 April, various tensions emerged – even among the signatory associations, with some issues remaining pending, primarily the tariff for issuing new licenses.
Riccardo Carboniof Cotabo, the main taxi cooperative, remember the commitment of the drivers: “We are always ready to find solutions, even on the remodulation of shifts. On the Marconi, when certain flights arrive at night, there are only us. And perhaps the traffic on the ring road is at a standstill. We cannot work miracles alone.”
