Motorists, be patient!
After the farmers are blocked on the highways, you risk coming across the filtering barrier of angry taxis!
The operation is launched this Sunday from 4 p.m. at the A4 motorway tollbooth in Coutevroult, in Seine-et-Marne.
An initiative by Roxane, 30, a taxi driver in Seine-et-Marne for three years, followed by three unions in the department from the National Taxi Federation (FNT), the National Federation of Taxi Artisans (FNAT) and the Federation of Independent Taxis (FTI).
“This place is symbolic, it is the largest toll booth in Seine-et-Marne.
The A4 leads to Disney, the A86, the RN 104… The idea is not to block everything.
We will leave a dedicated line for individuals, one for trucks.
We will reopen a third lane just in case, if we see that individuals are starting to be blocked,” specifies Roxane.
According to her, the blockade will last “until a delegation is received at the Ministries of Health and Transport”.
In Île-de-France, around 25,000 taxi drivers are registered.
Among the reasons for the discontent, the agreement with the 2024 Primary Health Insurance Fund which concerns the level of their remuneration for the transport of patients.
They want the discounts (percentage of the cost of the trip paid to Social Security) to be capped.
No to carpooling for medical patients
Article 69 does not pass either because it would impose shared health transport (form of carpooling) for medical patients without taking into account their pathology... “We are thinking about the rights of our customers, who are considered as goods by the ministry.
We want to restore dignity to patients and regain our dignity in our work,” insists Roxane.
In the end, they asked for the total withdrawal of the text because it was “imposed despite the refusal of all the federations”.
Taxi drivers are also protesting against unfair competition with VTCs and demanding enforcement of the law.
They denounce the “solicitation” of VTCs which wait for customers everywhere instead of returning to their garage or to an authorized parking place between two races to wait for calls and reservations.
“Last November, the Court of Cassation confirmed their guilt and affirmed that taxis are the only drivers who can drive and park on public roads in order to find customers.
» And Roxane points out that “the Uber France company pays little taxes in France and no charges at all.
We pay for it!
»
These demands have already generated demonstrations on January 12 in Paris and in the provinces, then on January 29 at the call of the federations in France and on the Paris ring road.