The debates of this round table focused on the regulation of the number of taxis to meet demand. The case of taxis thus appears as a case of a school of political economy of reform: how to increase the number of taxis without penalizing the craftsmen in place too much ?
Video summary:
– First intervention by Alain Trannoy, research director at theEhessdirector ofDrilling.
– Intervention by Jacques Delpla, adviser-senior, capital market, Bnp-Paribas.
– Second intervention by Alain Trannoy, research director at theEhessdirector ofDrilling.
The Attali report rendered on January 24, 2008 proposed, among other measures intended for “ release French growth to increase the number of taxis. The profession is indeed highly regulated: prices are supervised and a driver must have a license in order to be able to exercise his profession ; The granting of any new license is subject to a decision of the mayor, which de facto leads to the existence of a numerus clausus.
The debates of this round table have thus focused on the regulation of the number of taxis. For economists, the current number of taxis does not meet demand ; In all cities where the profession has been opened (Stockholm and Amsterdam, among others), taxis density has increased sharply. Thus, an opening of the profession would meet a need and at the same time constitute an important job of jobs. However, this idea comes up against the resistance of professional taxi organizations. Indeed, the rarity generated by the Numerus Clausus led to a sharp increase in the price of the license and the latter has become a heritage investment for craftsmen. A deregulation of the number of taxis would lead to a mechanical drop in the value of the license that the professionals in place are not ready to accept.
The case of taxis thus appears as a case of a school of political economy of reform: how to increase the number of taxis without penalizing the craftsmen in place too much ?
The round table made it possible to confront the point of view of economists, public authorities and professionals. For economists, several scenarios are possible: delete the license system while buying existing licenses in order to compensate professionals in place or even distribute new licenses to craftsmen with obligation for the latter to resell them immediately to new entrants. From a political economy point of view, the excessive share taken by taxi unions in negotiations with the public authorities has also been highlighted.
Professional federations, followed on this ground by the Chassigneux report of spring 2008, rather advocate a regulation of activity from the point of view of the service rendered: qualification of drivers, fluidity of traffic and borrowed road axes, etc.