Chaos unfolded at Florence’s Santa Maria Novella train station on Friday, April 11, as nearly all taxis failed to show up, despite being scheduled for regular service. Throughout the day, long lines of frustrated passengers built up, facing significant delays with no taxis in sight.
The disruption, seen as a preemptive protest ahead of the officially planned taxi strike on April 24, stems from growing discontent among drivers over the presence of NCC (chauffeur services) and the anticipated arrival of Uber in the city. The unannounced action drew strong criticism from the city government, which promptly issued a formal warning to licensed taxi drivers, urging them to immediately resume service — a request that has so far gone unanswered.
Reports from the municipal police alerted the City of Florence to the situation, describing a serious interruption of public transport services. The formal notice, sent by the Department of Economic Activities to taxi cooperatives and consortia, demanded the immediate restoration of regular service. However, none of the organizations involved publicly claimed responsibility for the protest or responded to the city’s warning, likely in an effort to avoid penalties.
At the heart of the dispute are longstanding tensions between taxi drivers and NCC operators, now exacerbated by the potential entry of Uber into the local market. The matter was already raised earlier this week in City Council, when councilor Dimitrij Palagi (Sinistra Progetto Comune) questioned Mobility Councillor Andrea Giorgio.
The debate centers around conflicting interpretations of national regulations concerning NCC services — specifically, whether chauffeurs are required to begin each trip from their garage located in the municipality that issued their license. While this issue has been subject to legal disputes, Councillor Giorgio noted that discussions are ongoing between the city administration, municipal police, and legal advisors, with a meeting scheduled next week to clarify the legal framework and agree on enforcement measures.
Palagi, however, criticized the administration’s handling of the issue, accusing the city government of reversing its position without proper consultation and adding fuel to the fire instead of fostering real dialogue with the stakeholders involved.
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