To the point of death… Sorry for that expression, but it is the one that best describes the state of activity of all taxi drivers since the start of the health crisis. The profession has been almost completely stopped for almost three months, although still authorized to practice. Also, between a return of customers hoped from Monday May 11 and vehicles to be secured as well as possible in order to limit the risks, the deconfinement promises to be a pivotal period. Example with two companies from the Montluçonnais basin, which walk – or rather roll – on eggs.
State of the profession in Allier
“It is a critical situation”, says Pierre Latorre, of Montluçon, president of the Federation of independent taxis of Allier. ” The medical transport represent 90% of the job, but everything that is not urgent has been postponed. ” Same thing for the other usual races: “Go to the physiotherapist, transport of children to school, breakdown service for people who have broken down in the car … Everything has been canceled”, he notes. “We can lose up to 100% of turnover! “.
What do they have left? “Only transport for dialysis, chemotherapy or radiotherapy continue ”, notes Jacky Renaud, vice-president of France and departmental president of the National Union of Taxis (UNT), working on the entire sector of Ainay-le-Château. “Result, on the whole of the Allier, let’s say that since mid-March we no longer do on average only 15 to 20% of the usual figure “
“In thirty-five years in the business, I had never seen that. We really went from nothing to nothing in terms of activity. “
Jacky renaud (Taxi on Ainay-le-Château)
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They now hope to switch back “from nothing to everything” in the coming days, although a rebounding does not seem illusory …
The Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Region helps taxis to protect themselves against the Coronavirus [20/04/2020]
Preparing for post-containment
There are many taxis to have changed their habits because of the epidemic and a fortiori with the approach of May 11. Especially with regard to their working tool: vehicles. ” I installed custom-made plexiglass walls between the driver’s and passenger’s space, ”explains Jacky Renaud.
Ditto at Pierre Latorre. “We put polycarbonate walls against the postillions”. But that’s not all: “Customers only go up in the back, we had to gel, masks and wipes to disinfect the taxi after each pass, “he continues. Likewise, credit card payments are preferred, with systematic cleaning of the device once it has been used.
“We understand that people have reservations, but on our side we have really taken all the measures so that they are no longer afraid and that they come back to us with confidence. “
Pierre Latorre (Taxi on Montluçon)
Example of separation in place in the vehicles of the company Taxi Latorre.
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What about the return to normal?
Will the above precautions be sufficient? “We expect a very slow and gradual recovery from May 11, ”warns Pierre Latorre. “For example, if a taxi made twenty trips a day before confinement, then it will probably not even be five at the start.”
And Jacky Renaud to engage: “We hope in particular that the medical appointments will resume, but there too that is likely to be little by little”. In short, “No immediate euphoria” according to him, “our work in May, June, even September, will not look like that of January”. A profession with two speeds, in short.
In the agglomeration of Vichy also taxis are closely watching for the prospect of deconfinement
Luc Barre
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