Deconfinement relaunches the battle between taxis and VTC

Is this finally the comeback of taxis? This is what Nicolas Rousselet, CEO of G7, the main Parisian taxi company, wants to believe. In an interview with Le Monde, the business manager assures us that taxis “know how to adapt” and “also invest in society“by ensuring that they continue to transform the fleet to reach 50% hybrid or electric vehicles. A nod to the current mayor of Paris who wants to limit the number of personal cars and pollution in the capital?

Sign of the rapprochement between taxis and the city, according to VTC de France: the access which is authorized to them – for a fee – to rue de Rivoli (1st-4th) – major axis of Parisian traffic – transformed into a vast cycling axis since May 11. “It’s really unfair competition: we are craftsmen in the same way as taxis, we have the same rights and yet today we are not recognized at our fair value, blows Arnaud Desdonner secretary general of the association of VTC de France, at the microphone of France bleue Paris this Monday morning. If you want to take rue de Rivoli, it’s a €135 fine!”

The mayor of Paris, which has thus reserved access to the new cyclist axes for vehicles already authorized to circulate on the bus lanes as well as for craftsmen, refuses for the moment to open this right to hybrid bikes. However, Arnaud Desdonner assures that the drivers of the capital wish to pay this tax allowing them to travel on the bus lane.

Other lane closure projects

Durably impacted by the reduction in the number of traffic lanes which cause traffic jams and therefore a drop in their profitability, the situation of VTCs could deteriorate further. Other axis closure projects, like Rivoli, are under study, such as that of rue Mouffetard (Ve), rue Saint-Paul (IVe), rue Saint-Jacques (Ve) and Boulevard Saint-Michel (5th-6th).

Two hundred VTCs, gathered in the collective VTC rivoli, have decided to form a collective and to initiate legal proceedings against the town hall of Paris. “A request for interim relief has just been filed with the Paris Administrative Court by lawyers Rémy Josseaume and Aïley Alagapin-Graillot, specialists in road law“, reports Le Parisien at the start of deconfinement. This Monday, June 22, the VTC Rivoli collective organized a demonstration in front of the Town Hall to request an interview with the mayor.

Blurs between taxis and VTC

The battle of interest groups between the “corporation“taxi and the”free electrons“VTC is also in full swing at the state level. According to Le Monde, VTCs were for a time forgotten by the national plan to safeguard the tourism sector, unlike craftsmen and taxi companies.”VTC drivers also had access to the support plan, but with a delay of several days, which generated some tension among drivers“, assures the evening newspaper.

If both saw their activity drop by 90% during confinement, the recovery has been gradual since deconfinement. “The street activity, the marauding, which represents half of the activity of our drivers, remains at a very low level, notes Nicolas Rousselet CEO of G7. We are still at one or two races a day compared to six on average before.

A partnership between SNCF and Uber

And taxis shouldn’t claim victory too quickly over VTCs. Last week, the SNCF announced its partnership in Île-de-France with the company Uber. Thus, the prices of the platform will be displayed next to that of taxis on the mobility application of the rail giant. However, the future of the American platform still remains uncertain. More and more jurisdictions recognize the relationship of subordination between it and the drivers – including France with the decision of the Court of Cassation of March 4. A court decision which makes it possible to transform the employment contract of a service provider into that of an employee. A decision that could transform the platform’s business model only if the politicians decide to regulate it assures Me Masson questioned by Dalloz.