«Too many boats are doing our service illegally. Even those of the glass factories “
VENICE – Too many boats illegally perform the service that only i should do Taxi. And in fact, despite the explosion of demand, the municipal taxi and rental with driver licenses have remained unchanged in 2010 and must replace them. feeble.
So, yesterday morning, the substitutes gathered in garrison at Ca ‘Farsetti to ask for a new call for tender for the issuance of water taxi licenses. More than ten years have passed, in fact, from what in 2010 expanded the audience to 194 licenses and in many current ones today 194 these licenses increased to meet the ever growing demand. “We are protesting today because despite the numerous requests to meet we have never received an answer – he explains Tommy Gardiof the water taxi substitutes association – Through all the official president channels, we asked in vain for a confrontation with the general manager Morris Ceronto explain our reasons ».
The situation is well explained by Massimo Minardi: «I have been a substitute for 17 years, with the hope of one day being able to become a starter, but we are not certain. Today our battle is intensified in the face of the spread of illegal persons who offer taxi services without having any rights ».
ABUSIVE
The reference is to many private boats that, especially during the summer, have been seen operating in the lagoon: «Every day we are witnesses of a situation out of control – explains President Gardi – We are helplessly assisted in the transport of people operated by unlicensed individuals. We have photographed boats of all kinds, from electric ones to motorboats, from traditional boats to open boats, even house boats, with tourists on board looking for a ride or a tour through the canals, complete with prosecco on the boat. It is not just about sensations, there is even an app that allows you to rent boats with or without a driver to use in the lagoon. We wonder if this activity is lawful and why he is allowed to perform it, while we are denied the possibility of conducting ours with a regular license “. The reference is an application specialized in bringing together the demand of tourists with the offer of private individuals who rent their own boat at figures that even touch one thousand euros a day. With the increase in requests, on the occasion of major events, the shortcomings of the taxi service come to light: “Where there is demand, the offer increases and so many choose to make their boat available by inventing a job”.
GLASSWARE AND HOTELS
The substitute taxi drivers denounce many unauthorized activities operated by various subjects: «The phenomenon is very widespread – continues Gardi – everything happens in the light of the sun. Drivers even regularly use landing points and shores to embark passengers: not hidden places, but in the heart of Venice, in front of the Doge’s Palace, in the Grand Canal as well as at the airport. We can then that many owners of holiday homes offer customers to trips between the canals, but also transfers to and from Tessera by boat – he continues – To these are added the motorboats of the Murano glass factories which, although they should only be used for employees , in reality they act as shuttles for those who want to visit the furnaces ». The taxi drivers then denounce the presence of boats with license plates from other municipalities that have to be in the historic center every day: “We have seen taxis even coming from Porto Viro, but in reality they live here”.
MORE LICENSES
Not only the substitutes, but also the owners themselves of the owners asked for a new competition: “The municipal stations often remain unmanned – Roberto Caratti, owner taxi driver with 30 years of activity – taxi required at least 25 new licenses to cope to requests. Working with slower rhythms would also make it possible to reduce the wave motion in the lagoon ».
The Municipality will meet the substitutes on October 3 and without reassurance they will be ready to stay there indefinitely.