Nowadays, finding a taxi in Rome is about as difficult as finding a breeze in the oppressively hot Italian capital.

People looking for a cab at the central station have reported having to wait well over an hour in the sweltering weather, while taxi ranks sprinkled throughout the city frequently lie empty as temperatures in the capital near record highs.

Rome and other Italian cities have long struggled with a lack of cabs because the influential taxi lobbies have resisted efforts to provide extra licenses or fully welcome the entry of competing ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft.

It raises questions about Italy's capacity to handle the escalating numbers foreseen by the tourism ministry in the upcoming years as a result of the large surge of tourists and the warmth.

It also draws attention to the nation's incapacity to change or utilize cutting-edge technology.

Taylor Simmons, a nanny from Seattle, stated as she stood in the sun without any shade in a large line outside Rome's main station, "This would not be acceptable in the United States."

"You would have thought there would be many more taxis given how hot it is," she said.

Rome only has 7,800 taxis, and since 2006, no new licenses have been issued. There are also 1,000 elite private rental cars, which are used as top-tier Uber vehicles. In contrast, according to data from 2020, London has about 19,000 taxis plus 96,000 private rental vehicles, while Paris has 18,500 taxis and at least 30,000 private vehicle licenses.

The lack of cabs is a problem for the economy as a whole, not just for visitors, according to Andrea Giuricin, a transport expert at Milan's Bicocca University.

The former Mario Draghi administration attempted to reform the industry but gave up when confronted with raucous street protests by irate taxi drivers, who often favor the conservative parties currently in office.

The same lobby has successfully blocked full-scale Uber operations in the nation, claiming they put customers' safety at risk.

Taxi drivers claim they are being used as a scapegoat for Rome's traffic problems and complain that if more licenses were granted by the city council, there would not be enough employment for everyone outside of the busiest tourist seasons.

According to Loreno Bittarelli, president of the Radio Taxi Union of Italy, "We can talk about this, but we cannot ignore the fact that bus and metro lines are inadequate and that, to keep costs down, service is diminished or closes too early in the evening."

The main metro lines in Rome close at 9.00 p.m. on weekdays due to extensive repair work, and the bus system is famously unpredictable, frequently experiencing strikes and failures.

The issue goes well beyond Rome.

hours for a taxi. His Airbnb host ultimately had to pick them up.

When he and his family were waiting in line in Rome for a taxi to take them to a hotel, he stated, "Switzerland was very efficient, but as soon as we crossed the border, the transport stopped working."

He declared, "It is obvious that the idea of supply and demand does not exist in Italy.

Before significant events that could result in turmoil and negative press for the city if solutions are not found, the administration has requested that negotiations with taxi leaders begin this week.

Later this year, Rome will play host to the Ryder Cup golf tournament, bringing in a ton of wealthy tourists.

When 30 million tourists are expected to visit the city during the Holy Year in 2025, when Roman Catholics typically swarm to the Vatican City, their numbers will be dwarfed.

According to industry analyst Giuricin, Rome has one of the worst transportation systems in the entire world. Without significant adjustment, the city cannot possibly accept more residents.