The clash between taxi drivers and ride-hailing apps is not unique to Barcelona. A recurring pattern appears across major cities where the so-called taxi war plays out differently. In New York, alliances have shifted the board; in London, traditional taxis mingle with minicabs; and in Brussels, the driver profession has become more accessible. In many capitals, including Paris, riders can already request a ride and see both taxis and rides from large platforms arrive, sometimes with little delay. VTCs remain a significant force in North American cities as well, shaping how urban mobility is arranged from coast to coast in the United States and Canada.
Taxi drivers resist in Paris
The Uber platform surged in Paris over the last decade, reshaping urban mobility. Just before the Covid-19 crisis, Uber seemed to dominate while taxis faced a steep decline. In 2019, roughly 3 million trips were made in the Paris region, with about 1.8 million by VTC services and 1.2 million by traditional taxis. After the pandemic, dynamics shifted again, giving taxis renewed momentum. The price of a taxi license rose from around 115,000 euros in 2018 to about 173,000 euros today, still far from the peak reached in 2012.
This taxi resistance coincided with early legal pressure on Uber’s model. Facing requirements to classify drivers as employees rather than independent contractors, the company recently agreed to a minimum pay of 7.65 euros per trip to its drivers, making short urban hops more cost-effective as a taxi alternative. Meanwhile, Parisian operators began to digitalize and upgrade their fleets, as seen with G7, which moved toward higher-end vehicles and app-based booking. Other VTC platforms, including Uber, Bolt, and Free Now, now offer the option to order a taxi alongside private-hire services.
Victory of the VTC without prestige in Buenos Aires
In April 2022, Buenos Aires witnessed a large-scale protest by taxi drivers against Uber, Cabify, and Didi. City leadership promised protection, but judicial outcomes and practical realities favored the platforms. Transportation practices in the Argentine capital shifted rapidly as mobility apps became the norm. The pandemic accelerated this transition: at the outbreak, about 38,000 taxis were on the streets; today, that number has dwindled to around 15,000. Getting a traditional black-and-yellow taxi has become more of a scavenger hunt, with digital platforms often tipping the balance in favor of app-based rides. As a result, many ecotaxi drivers moved to app-driven work.
Yet victory is not final. Users of Uber, Cabify, and Didi often share complaints online about vehicle cleanliness, lingering smoke, aggressive driving, route changes, and abrupt trip cancellations. A survey of Argentines indicated that about 62% would rather not travel by an app-ordered ride unless an alternative exists, with long wait times and high prices cited as frequent concerns when they do choose app-based services.
Across the region, these debates reflect a broader tension between established taxi operators and flexible mobility platforms. In the United States and Canada, cities are still trying to balance consumer choice, driver livelihoods, and passenger safety in a rapidly evolving market. Regulatory pilots, licensing reforms, and standards for vehicle quality are common responses as communities adapt to the realities of app-based transportation.
Minicabs, taxis and VTC in London
London showcases a market where traditional black cabs compete with a rising number of VTCs. Pre-booked minicabs, unlike street-hailable taxis, have long offered fixed tariffs for airport transfers, a model that remains popular for predictable pricing. Uber and Bolt have become dominant players in the app space, expanding beyond ride-hailing into other services. The travel market began to normalize after the early disruptions, and today there are roughly 14,000 conventional taxi licenses in London, a figure that has fluctuated from higher levels in the past.
Uber’s 2012 arrival sparked vehement protests, and the company narrowly avoided a license lapse with a renewal for a 30-month period. Prices have risen since, yet Uber, along with other ride-hailing apps, remains a significant force in the city’s mobility mix. The traditional taxi fleet has adapted, integrating digital booking tools and competing with app-based services for passengers.
Brussels “sticker”
After years of political and legal battles, Brussels has reached a temporary détente between taxis and VTC operators like Uber, largely through a regulation colloquially known as the taxi plan. The rule, which began operating in late October, sought to align access to the driver profession with a unified market for taxi and VTC services. The plan differentiates services by type while aiming to keep the playing field balanced for all stakeholders.
The regulation also revises fleet composition in the capital, increasing the number of circulating vehicles from 2,725 to 3,250 and distributing 1,425 traditional taxi licenses and 1,825 VTC licenses. The outcome appears to favor VTCs, which hold a slight edge in licensing. These quotas are reviewed biennially, leaving room for future adjustments as the market evolves.
Rome and the value of licenses
The long-standing clash between taxis and VTCs in Rome mirrors patterns seen elsewhere. Last year, taxi drivers organized protests to challenge VTCs’ pricing strategies and their apparent ability to offer more competitive fares while not always obeying the same regulatory rules. The controversy intensified following the publication of internal documents that exposed how some platforms position themselves for broader, multi-country expansion. This backdrop underscores a consistent theme: the high cost of taxi licenses and the heavy upfront investment required to operate legally in many markets fuels resistance to liberalization. Taxi drivers argue that deregulation risks eroding established livelihoods and the quality standards that protect riders.
Across North America, Canadian and American regulators are watching these developments closely, seeking to preserve a fair competitive landscape while encouraging safe, affordable options for riders. The dialogue continues as cities try to balance innovation with accountability, ensuring that both drivers and passengers benefit from mobility platforms in a regulated framework that protects public safety and employment rights.