The Romans will be able to to continue a to pay the coffee oil Taxi with the credit card. At least according to the representatives of the bars and taxi drivers. Electronic payment has, in fact, entered thedaily use of the inhabitants of the capital, especially the young, while the real problem for traders is not the amount of the drink or the journey, but the high commissions required by banks. Bancomat even for small or very small expenses? «I think it is right that there is freedom of choice in terms of paying – explains the president of Fipe Confcommercio Sergio Paolantoni -. By now the credit card has become ahabit in Rome: in our university bars, 80% of payments are made in this way, and it is mostly used by young people».

Goodbyetherefore, al cash as happens in the big European capitals, especially in the north? Not everyone thinks this way: «As always, the operator will continue to take it to provide service to the customer – says the president of Fiepet Confesercenti Claudius Peak – but in certain cases, such as a long line at the checkout, it could be justified not to accept it». The reason? «With the passage through the Pos, an extra 30 to 40 seconds are lost: some cards ask for the pin even for the coffee, then the denied transaction can arrive and therefore time is lost. Furthermore, most of our subscribers complain about the high costs: for this type of payment they sometimes have to put an extra cashier, and there are high commissions. However, transactions with the Pos are growing from month to month ».

Stephen DiNiola, secretary of the Cna of Rome, believes that «both the free choice of the customer in paying and that of the manager in accepting is sacrosanct. With less cash, however, there are fewer risks: at the end of the day there are no “wads” of banknotes to take to the bank. However, I don’t see electronic payment as widespread for a coffee, and if it is very right to use electronic tools, it is absolutely necessary to reduce bank commissions to make them more easily accepted by the shopkeepers». Loreno Bittarelli, president of the taxi cooperative 3570, considers it advantageous, precisely because of the greater security of not having too much cash on hand: “By now our customers pay a lot with ATMs: we are happy because there is more peace of mind, especially for those who work the night shift, in not having the money with them”.

He says that the coop «has been accepting credit cards for more than 10 years and the whole network will continue to accept them. Anyone who doesn’t do so can even be sanctioned by the cooperative. But bank commissions are one of the critical issues: the real battle that must be waged by the government is this, because there are circuits that ban up to 4 percent”. “All of ours Taxi they are equipped with a Pos and we will keep it – adds Maura Tirillò, administrator of 6645 – but the drivers are free not to accept if the ride has not been taken by radio. The government should intervene on commissions, it is a time of deep crisis». Finally for the president of Confartigianato Andrea Rotondo “the use of electronic money must not be imposed by law, but must be a normal commercial practice”.

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