“Fuel is the sinews of war. If we don’t have one, we don’t ride, we don’t survive“sums up Laetitia Arnoux, president of SDAT 86 (Vienne taxi craftsmen’s union) who travels 500 km, with a full tank of gas a day. Soaring fuel prices are on everyone’s lips of the sixty or so participants in the national congress of taxis, which takes place all weekend near Poitiers.
“We work more to earn less”
Prices at the pump still exceed 2 euros per liter on Saturday June 4, even with the government discount of 15 to 18 cents. “We select the patients, we avoid certain journeys. I turned down 4 races in a month” explains, the sad voice, Katia. On board her country taxi, the resident of Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes in Deux-Sèvres mainly transports patients to hospitals in the region “plagued by medical deserts“. Every kilometer counts.
More targeted aid
“We won’t be able to adapt forever. With 30% more charge per month, our bankers are panicking” concedes the new national president of the FNAT (National Federation of Taxi Craftsmen) Bernard CREBASSA. For him, there is no no alternatives to fuel profitable or consistent with their business.
“Yes to the ecological transition, except that today electric vehicles are not adapted to our needs. They only drive 100 km, with very few charging stations” schematizes the taxi driver. They ask the government to suspend thissome of their charges, reduce fuel taxes, summarizes the federation which underlines the urgency.