The rant of a taxi in Toulouse: “450 euros more fuel at the end of the month!”
Taxi drivers, driving school instructors or dairy cooperatives, many companies susceptible to rising fuel prices. Concerns revolve around gas and petrol prices in particular.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, those whose work tool is a vehicle have paid dearly for the explosion in the price of fuel and raw materials. Thus on a daily basis, Rémy criss-crosses the Pink City and travels several kilometres. The taxi driver carefully scrutinizes his accounts. “I made a calculation, compared to 2021, I find myself with an increase of 450 euros in gasoline at the end of the month. For some colleagues, it’s more than 600 euros, ”warns the self-employed worker. At the end of the month, this increase in his expenses represents a considerable loss for Rémy. He sees his purchasing power drop drastically: “In addition to affecting us in our work, it also concerns us in our private lives. My wife, for example, travels several kilometers for her job. On a calculated it represents 11 euros per day ”.
The taxi drivers’ unions share the same pessimistic opinion. “Gasoline is too expensive and our costs are too high. We don’t have enough help to support us, ”insists Philippe Duran, president of the national taxi union of Haute-Garonne. The elected official would like more aid for this sector which is “one of the main victims of this inflation”. Driving schools are also very sensitive to rising fuel prices. The Autolosa establishment, located in the city center is trying to adapt at all costs. “We are unfortunately obliged to increase the number of our lessons but also the prices”, laments Liliane at the reception.
The anger of young farmers also rumbles over the Toulouse metropolis. Refinery blockage, free toll or even snail operation on the highway, all means are good to be heard. Farmers complain in particular “of too high a price for agricultural diesel”. In addition, delivery men, ambulance drivers, driving schools or liberal nurses are in turn sounding the alarm.
Waiting for further help
Businesses and the self-employed are waiting for action from the government. Rémy, the taxi driver, is getting impatient. “We saw that they were going to reduce us by 15 centimes per liter of gasoline. We don’t know if that will be enough.” The aid should be applicable for all from the first of April. It will allow professionals to reduce the bill at the pump. For their part, the YéoFrais teams are also hoping for a support policy. “No company can stand with these conditions. On margins that are too low. Without aid, we will not survive for long,” warns its managing director.
The penal gauze the yogurt maker
If gasoline is a problem, for others it is the price of gas that worries. For YéoFrais, the experts in ultra-fresh dairy, this energy is essential for the proper functioning of the company. Jérôme Servière, general manager of the dairy, issues the alert: “A large part of our activity involves the pasteurization of our product. For this process, a large gas boiler is used. Before, we had an energy budget that represented about 3% of our turnover. Today it is more than 14%. The company, which achieves a turnover of more than 100 million euros over the period 2021, has not slowed down its activity since it still has the same demand. She claims, however, “to know a very low profitability with certain products which are even sold at a loss”.