The VTC sector is worried about its future in Paris with the Olympics and the limited traffic zone

The VTC sector is worried about its future in Paris with the Olympics and the limited traffic zone

“At least we will have warned. We take the risk of being the highest in the world, with 20,000 to 40,000 VTCs set aside. We know there is a transport shortage, but we will do without them. We don’t understand this absurdity. » According to Karim Daoud, president of the Association of Tourist Vehicles with Drivers of France (AVF), the first representative organization of independent drivers, 680 cars set off on Thursday, January 11, for a snail operation from Porte Maillot to the town hall of Paris, where they arrived to a chorus of horns. A demonstration encouraged, in particular, by the platforms themselves. On December 14, January 8 and 9, it was the Intersyndicale nationale des VTC (INV) collective which carried out more massive actions on the ring road and near the Orly and Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airports.

The situation is serious for VTCs: they will not be able to access the 185 kilometers of Olympic routes between July and September, which have been reserved by the government for taxis, buses, emergency vehicles and accredited people. The decrees having already been published for a long time, a step back on the subject is impossible, the Ministry of Transport recently clarified.

Coincidentally, a meeting was held on the same day as this event between the organizations representing the platforms, drivers and the Paris town hall to discuss various hot points: Olympic Games, access to stations, limited traffic zone, pedestrianization of the city… It had been postponed several times. Disappointed with the result of this discussion, the unionists and representatives of the platforms unanimously point out the contradiction between concerns about a complete transport offer this summer in Paris, and the sidelining of drivers. “There is not a decision that is not unfavorable (to VTC). The town hall’s principled position is that VTCs do not have the rights that taxis have.explains Yves Weisselberger, president of the company LeCab. For her, drivers are individuals, not professionals. To access the stations, at their request to go to the drop-off… It’s not serious. »

” Flow management “

Beyond a risk of financial losses during the summer, players in the sector fear a generalization of inequalities between taxi and VTC drivers. In fact, the town hall plans to perpetuate the left lane on the ring road, and to reserve it for vehicles “carpooling” welcoming at least two people. A VTC could therefore travel on this lane only if it is transporting a customer, but not empty, unlike taxis.

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