Taxis received this Saturday by François Bayrou to find a solution to the conflict over the transport of patients

Taxi driver representatives are expected this Saturday, May 24, at the Ministry of Transport, in the presence of François Bayrou, to try to find a solution to the conflict that has been going on for almost a week due to a new agreement governing patient transport.

The taxi union launched a protest on Monday against this plan, which calls for a unification of fares, which currently vary from department to department. The new system will be based on a €13 health insurance fee, followed by a per-kilometer rate. It is designed to discourage empty returns or excessively long waiting times.

This pricing is due to come into effect on October 1. The aim is to limit the growth in medical transport spending, which reached €6.74 billion in 2024, including €3.07 billion for licensed taxis (a 45% jump since 2019).

According to Thomas Fatôme, Director General of Health Insurance , "the vast majority of taxis will benefit from this new model, because it is based on the logic of transporting more patients." Reimbursing patient transport on prescription is a key activity in the turnover of some taxi drivers.

Some of the protesters explained that the new pricing structure would cause them to lose a substantial portion of their revenue. Yves Rubicondo, a taxi driver in Pithiviers (Loiret) with three employees, who generates 95% of his revenue from health insurance, expects to lose 25 to 30% of his revenue.

"What the CNAM is proposing is viable, but we can't do everything at once. For me, it's a 60% reduction in turnover!" explained a taxi driver from the Lyon region who came to demonstrate in front of the Gare du Nord in Paris on Friday.

Taxis are demanding the withdrawal of the CNAM agreement and the appointment of a mediator. But the government already assured on Friday that it did not intend to back down .

Throughout the week, thousands of taxi drivers demonstrated, participated in slow-moving operations, and staged blockades near train stations and airports to make their voices heard. In Paris, the epicenter of the protests was on Boulevard Raspail, not far from the Ministry of Transport, where car horns and fireworks punctuated the week.

The climate has become tense on several occasions with the police, and four Parisian protesters have been prosecuted. Taxi organizations have also targeted VTC drivers , who work with platforms like Uber and Bolt, accusing them of unfair competition and irregular practices.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who is responsible for regulating taxis, has also asked law enforcement to step up checks on chauffeur-driven vehicles (VTCs).

In a telegram sent to prefects on Thursday and seen by AFP, the Interior Minister highlighted "recurring incidents" in recent months that "demonstrate the tension between taxis and VTC drivers." According to Bruno Retailleau, the cause is "irregular practices on the part of VTCs and the presence of bogus professionals on public roads."

The minister has requested that law enforcement use three new fixed penalty fines for illegally operating a taxi, taking a taxi without a reservation, and failing to register with the VTC register.