Published on June 24, 2024 at 11:12. / Modified on June 24, 2024 at 11:16.
His upper body disappears under the steering wheel. Roberto Mantovani takes advantage of our delay to clean his car. “Wait, I have to wash my hands to greet you properly,” he says, sticking his head out of the vehicle, before looking for his bottle of disinfectant then extending his arm with a broad smile. The powerful and jovial sound of his voice immediately denotes the social and friendly character of the taxi driver “the most famous in Italy”, as the transalpine press called him. His work tool is parked outside his home, in the heart of Bologna, a stone’s throw from the city’s famous towers and Piazza Maggiore, where he goes to start his tour, shortly after 2 p.m.
Roberto Mantovani’s popularity is the consequence of a war against his profession. For more than a year, he has denounced to his approximately 52,000 followers the fraudulent and illegal behavior of his colleagues. From May 2023, he publishes his daily earnings on Twitter, in cash and by bank or credit card. These declarations contrast with the amounts declared to the tax authorities by other drivers. In this way, the driver-turned-activist condemns the systematic refusal of his colleagues to accept electronic payments in order to collect more money under the table. The reputation of taxis and, in the face of tourists, of all Italians is at stake.
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