Don't bash Italian taxis:
(I haven't been to Florence in years. Spent a couple of weeks there decades ago, and haven't had the urge to buck the (imo) insane crowds to revisit the sites.)
But I've lived in Rome and can attest to the honesty and professionalism of taxis there. The rates within the walls are some of the lowest I've seen in a major city anywhere. I've never been taken on an unnecessary "meter tour." Though during rush hour, peripheral routes are sometimes taken, which might concern infrequent visitors. Typical example - Termini to Pantheon (or reverse) usually involves Via Nazionale/Via Cavour and passing the Wedding Cake. Takes about 10 minutes costs 8 to 10 euros. But you don't want to try that during rush hour. It'll take forever sitting in traffic. And it will run up the meter. So your driver should drive up through the park and take the Lungotavere (riverside street) down into the Pantheon area. This will take maybe 15 to 20 minutes and will run about 12 to 15 euros.
Bottom line for me is I wouldn't trust an Uber to do as well as a taxi in Rome.
With one exception.
The only taxis I've had issues with are the infamous drivers at Ciampino. There's a fixed fare to the center, but good luck getting any one of them to agree to it.
Don't get in the cab unless you've settled up first. I've even heard stories of baggage being held hostage until an extra "baggage fee" is paid at the destination. These guys are as notorious as pickpockets in Barcelona. I've seen them written up in articles and guidebooks. Here's a cute little tale. http://www.revealedrome.com/2013/08/...port-taxi.html
I've given up on those thieves and just take the shuttle.
But they are the exception that proves the rule,

Uber is not worse than a taxi duopoly. It's just that the EU, s individual countries, provinces, cities, and states in the USA have decided that Uber cannot ignore the rules that apply to taxis and limousines by claiming that they are a website, not a transportation company. When forced to have insurance, background checks, and inspected the drivers and cars are just not there.

Checking the media covering the week in question and the Pitti, there was a transportation disaster, but it's not about taxi's playing funny games, it's about Florence's poor transportation system. For example in RAI, http://firenze.repubblica.it/cronaca...tti-168172229/

And excerpts from Florence's newspaper about the problem of transportation and the Pitti.

http://www.firenzetoday.it/cronaca/t...-traffico.html

Gioca d'anticipo Marzio De Vita, presidente di Socota - Radio Taxi Firenze: "Ancora una volta, in occasione di Pitti, si ripropongono le polemiche e gli attacchi ai tassisti, come se la questione traffico dipendesse da noi. (Even beforehand, the president of one of the taxi consortia joked about how on the occasion of the Pitti, they will attack the taxis, as if the question of traffic depends on us.)

Non si organizzano eventi importanti contemporaneamente, senza preoccuparsi di quali saranno le ricadute sulla mobilità cittadina: questo allarme lo avevo già lanciato mesi fa", sottolinea. (One doesn't organize simultaneous important events without thinking about how it will affect mobility in the city.)

"Vorremmo ricordare che ieri, oltre a Pitti Uomo - aggiunge - a Firenze c'erano il maxi concerto dei Radiohead e le semifinali dei play off di Lega Pro allo stadio Franchi. Noi abbiamo fatto tutto quel che potevamo, con l'83% della flotta in strada". (We want to remember that yesterday, in addition to the Pitti, we had the huge Radiohead concert and the semi-final game of the professional soccer championship. We did all we could, with 83% of all Florentine taxi drivers out on the road, working.

"Ho letto che un esponente dell'amministrazione comunale, ieri, ha detto che la situazione era sotto controllo - prosegue De Vita - e sinceramente resto basito, visto che per larghissimi tratti della giornata di ieri la situazione è stata totalmente fuori controllo, non governata. ("I read that yesterday the city government said that everything is under control, however, for most of the day everything was out of control and ungovernable.)


E' inutile proporre modifiche adesso a fine manifestazioni, le programmazioni si fanno prima. (It's useless to propose solutions now, it should be done before the events.) Viene da sorridere, poi, quando si paragona Firenze a Londra o ad altre città internazionali, che hanno un servizio di metropolitana che Firenze non ha. Senza contare i cantieri per la tramvia, che aggiungono caos ulteriore". It's laughable when they compare Florence with London and other international cities that have metropolitan services that Florence doesn't have, and that has a tram system that adds even more chaos.

"Il traffico c'entra, eccome - gli fa eco Claudio Giudici di Uritaxi - e ai cantieri si aggiungono il fisiologico flusso turistico di giugno e l'affluenza di Pitti Immagine, la situazione diventa molto difficile. E' per tutto ciò che i mezzi pubblici restano bloccati nel traffico, con centinaia di persone in attesa non solo dei taxi, ma anche alle fermate dei bus. (Traffic comes because to the construction going on you add the influx of the tourists, plus the Pitti, and the situation making the situation very difficult. It's because of this drivers of all means of public transportation are stuck, resting in traffic, with hundreds of people waiting in lines not only for taxis, but also at bus stops.)

Le soluzioni – prosegue – non sono multinazionali straniere come Uber, che ha già provato, non sono nemmeno 30 licenze taxi dei comuni limitrofi che hanno il dovere di servire l'utenza di quei Comuni". (The traffic, construction, the Pitti, and the influx of tourists makes it a difficult situation. Public transportation is all blocked in extreme traffic, with hundreds of people waiting not only for taxis, but also for buses. The solution is not a multinational like Uber, because it has already been proven that there aren't even 30 of them licensed to serve the community.)

"Quest'anno - ribadisce - sono entrati in servizio 100 taxi in più, un'immissione storica di licenze a Firenze, che non ha mai avuto uguali. Eppure, non siamo riusciti a servire le utenze medie, non siamo riusciti a produrre di più perché i nostri mezzi restano sistematicamente bloccati nel traffico. I cantieri ormai ci sono: ci auguriamo che si concludano secondo i tempi e speriamo che, una volta operativa la tramvia, l'amministrazione metta in grado il servizio pubblico di funzionare adeguatamente, garantendo agli utenti il diritto alla mobilità ed agli operatori un luogo più salubre di lavoro". (This year Florence added 100 additional taxis, a historical act. Nevertheless, we haven't succeeded in serving public transportation needs, because our public transportation system is systematically blocked by traffic. We hope the construction of the tram system is finished on time and the administration will enable public transportation to guarantee mobility to the people, and give workers a healthier environment.

It doesn't seem as if Florence's transportation problem can be placed on the shoulders of taxi drivers, and it is unlikely that people who might drive for Uber are going to go ahead and get a license, insurance, go through background checks, and be a realistic alternative.

I'm as big a proponent of Uber as a passenger as there is around here. However, Uber will not fix Florence because even if everyone got inspected and licensed, they would still have issues with the aree pedonali in the very center, unless they get licensed specifically as taxis or happen to have a residence permit that will allow them in.

Florence's cab drivers have never given me a hint of unethical behavior and I've spent a lot of time there.

Great point about the area perdonale. The transportation problem in Florence during Pitti cannot be placed on taxi drivers who were working double overtime, with no over time pay.

Venice, where I usually stay, you can walk everywhere. But I also spend a a lot of time n Rome, and wherever. Taxi drivers are more professional than almost anywhere except for London. It is not good for people to keep spreading myths.

My work just had me spending two months in NYC, and my friends in Italy kept sending messages of concerns to me, not to get robbed or murdered, even though NY is one of the safest major cities in the world.

It's time to give up the taxi stereotypes. I'm going to Rome this Saturday. Business will take me to Monti. I've done it many times before. I always walk. Sometimes, I have a late night sleep late, and take a taxi. They always go the opposite way from where I'm heading, and how I would walk. It's always done because of the warren of one way streets, and their professionalism about how to avoid traffic.

I too, Have never experienced a dishonest taxi driver in Italy. I've heard about the Ciampino thing, which is sort of like an unofficial strike.

The city hasn't upped the fare there in many years, and so the taxis are saying, "this is what should be the fair price, and that's all I'm going for." For a few euros I support their long awaited government controlled increase in fare for a few euros. After all, they could just strike. They haven't had a raise in years.

I always trust taxis in Italy, even when they seem to be going in the wrong direction. They always have a good reason why.

Of course I generally have an estimate of what the fare should before I get in should there be a problem, but I've never experienced any. Sometimes I ask "what the hell are you doing," and they always have an answer such as construction or strike, that turns out to be correct.

It's 100x's better than a Uber driver who has been in the city for 3 months and has no idea where they are going, and rely on GPS, which is pretty hopeless in Italy because streets and restaurants might have several names.

While most of my Italian taxi experience has been in Milan (and a bit in Naples and Torino), I have to differ a bit from Perche. I have had dishonest and lying taxi drivers. I still joke about the guy who had to drive five blocks out of the way because of the giant hole in the ground that he swore to me was not there yesterday (if only Italian construction projects moved so quickly). I did suffer once from the bad 20 Euro note trick, when I was called back to the cab to find out that my 20 Euro note had somehow gotten funnier in the interval between when I had handed it to the driver and when I returned to answer his call. I once travelled to Naples to a conference and three of us (separately) took taxis the same afternoon from the airport to the hotel. Each of our drivers told us (me and two Italians) that there was a fixed price. Each of the prices was different.

And then there is the annoyance of calling a driver and him showing up with the meter having a large random number already ticking (yes I know it's the law); sometimes they are willing to reduce it a bit when I complain. And then there are evening and weekend rates (yes I know it's the law), when prices are even higher.

Most of the cab drivers I have had and talked to are honest, hard working types, who hate Uber and want to earn a decent living as a taxi driver. I have talked about food and art with some drivers and about Italian dialects and the problems of Italian football. Some were great. But not all.

I'll chime in and say that I don't think Uber would solve the traffic problems in Florence, particularly in summer. My impression (as an American tourist who oohs and ahhs at the architecture a fair bit because, well, Florence) is that much of the charm and beauty of the city is preserved (for better or for worse) by maintaining the narrow, cobbled streets (many of which are zoned for pedestrians only, many others of which ought to be, for the sake of safety and sanity). Cars can't get to many of those, making driving (whether by taxi, Uber, or rental car) a moot point. Most tourists quickly discover the quickest way around Florence is to walk (so bring a pair of chic but comfortable shoes).

We choose a hotel that has an in-house vehicle to take us close to wherever we are going at the beginning of the day, and, in the evenings, to our restaurant. Other than that, a car seems superfluous in Florence, except to get to and from the train station.

I imagine if the beautiful people are trying to get to some fashion event in their heels while maintaining an intact coiffure and keeping their clothes (and minds) unruffled, a car is of utmost importance. But for those of us who are there to enjoy the art and food, for whom a day in Florence begins with lingering over breakfast, continues with a day of some of the world's most breathtaking art, and ends with sipping champagne on the hotel's terrace while watching fireworks as the city celebrates its patron saint, taxis, Ubers, who cares? Feet do just fine.

Come to think about it, I did have one taxi driver in Naples try to up the fare by one euro because it was a Sunday. I argued about it, and as you said (it is the law) and I was wrong. When I got to where I was going, he asked if I could just buy him a coffee, since I didn't want to pay the price. So I did. 0.8 euros.

Yesterday I landed at SFO, and although it's basically cost neutral, I usually just take a taxi to the ferry because I live just over the Golden Gate Bridge and it's a spectacular ride. I prefer it to a ride stuck in traffic. There are two ferry terminals. I asked the driver to take. E to one, but I knew it would be tight. After a while I knew we would not make it, and I told him to take me to the other ferry building. He didn't want to because he said, "we still have six minutes before your ferry leaves." I told him I'm not into the suspense, take me to the Ferry Building, where I'd just wait for 45 minutes. No big deal The guy wouldn't stop giving it to me, telling me he could get me to the ferry stop on Fisherman's Wharf in the six minutes left, even though we were on the Embarcadero near the ball park. I told home to just take me to the ferry building because we could never make it to Fisherman's Wharf in six minutes.

We then had five minutes of yelling at each other, him telling me he could have made it, me telling him he could not. When arrived at the Ferry Building, not the worst place to have to wait for 45 minutes, he wouldn't open the trunk to let me get my suitcase out. And that was after I paid with credit card, and to finalize the transaction the machine requires you to choose between a 20%, 25%, or 30% tip. I had already paid and had the transaction with 20% tip.

He finally got out and let me get my bag. This was in San Francisco. The worst I'd ever experienced in Italy was when the taxi driver wanted to charge me an extra euro or two because it was a Sunday Holiday, and I refused. And we settled by having a coffee.

The taxi ride from SFO to the ferry building, with the guy yelling at me and refusing to open the trunk for me to take out my bag, even though I'd already given a 20% tip, is not unusual in the USA. There are bad apples everywhere.

When I go to Rome this Saturday, I'm not going to fuss with trying to find my "limo driver." I'll just take a taxi. And even if I fall asleep, there will be no shenanigans.

You cannot compare the taxi service in the USA with that of Italy. It's just like the trains. You cannot compare. I just spent two months in New York, and it seems like every day the headlines were about massive delays, trains running off the rails, people being stuck for so long in high heat that they had to call the paramedics to rescue a baby who was dying of heat stroke.

That was in NYC, "The Capital of the World!" That stuff doesn't happen in Italy.

Are there taxi drivers who might not be completely honest? Of course, just like anywhere else. But in Italy, in terms of service, professionalism, honesty, and quality of the cars, it beats the USA hands down.

This "thing" about Italian taxis is just another stereotype that needs to go away. There is not 100% perfection, but I'd rank them as second only to the U.K. In their professionalism, leagues ahead of the USA, where the cars are filthy, and you are lucky if the seats belts work.

Only problem....there was little to no traffic in Central Florence during the Pitti. Traffic moved. The cabs didn't. As they just sat, parked, driverless in the taxi ranks waiting on boutique fares or were simply chartered by others en banc.

You are correct in that public transport in Florence is a disaster and is woefully inadequate for even the local population. We took the busses (we had no other option). But the inadequate public transport system is a reason for MORE, not less private transport options like Uber.

They could have added 1000 more taxi licenses. Would have made no difference if none of them were willing to serve the general public.

I could care less if the solution is uber or not. But a solution needs to be found. Maybe its' a ban on chartering taxis, banning chartered cabs from using taxi ranks to park, requiring a certain percentage of cabs to be available to the general public, and some more competition.

If Florence's taxi problem is seasonal, then perhaps a Uber or Lyft temporary option makes even more sense. Allow them to operate for a few months only. And regulate them.

Uber started in Florence in September, 2015. http://www.theflorentine.net/news/20...s-to-florence/

Uber can reopen in Florence any time it wants to. All that happened was that Italy, not Florence, passed a law that requires everyone who drives any type of car as a form of public transportation, whether it be a taxi, limo, Uber, Lyft, or anything else, to have the same qualifications. The driver must have a commercial drivers license; they must undergo a background check that involves fingerprinting in order to get a commercial drivers license; their car must be inspected; they must have a minimum amount of insurance.

When Italy adopted these basic nationwide requirements Uber went belly up in Florence because only a few drivers met the basic safety requirements to work in the public transportation field. Uber is free to re-open in Florence tomorrow, as long as it meets the requirements of Italian law.