Mohamed, a taxi driver in Paris, earns 9,000 euros per month

Mohamed, 39, has been doing this job for 14 years and enjoys it. "When you start a day, you never know what you’re going to do. Each trip is a new adventure," he confides to the newspaper Le Parisien. The Parisian taxi driver has VIP clients, which allows him to generate significant income. For a 2.5-hour trip with this type of client, who visited the Louis Vuitton Foundation and had lunch on the Champs-Élysées, Mohamed earned 170 euros, or about half a "normal" day, he explains.

But the young man is not limited to this VIP clientele. "I couldn’t just do that," admits the taxi driver who transports a variety of clients: passers-by, tourists at the airport or train station, patients, etc. The transfer of patients, regulated by Social Security, costs "between 12 and 20% less than the meter price, depending on the trips," he informs. A discount denounced by the unions since January. Mohamed rarely does this type of ride, but remains in solidarity with his colleagues. "Social Security constantly wants to lower our rates, we have the impression that it’s limitless," he regrets.

Mohamed works from Monday to Friday. At the end of the month, the driver generates a turnover of 9,000 euros, an amount from which he subtracts taxes (1,710 euros for URSSAF) and various charges related to his activity (800 euros for the repayment of his vehicle, 600 euros for fuel, 500 euros for the G7 platform subscription, etc.). In the end, he is left with 3,500 euros at the end of the month. With such income, Mohamed estimates that he is "in the upper range" of Parisian taxi drivers.

"I earn a good living. But especially because I’ve finished paying for my license... I know I earn a lot, but I didn’t steal this money. It’s not the same as earning 3,500 euros a month by being often at home and working from 6:30 am to 7 pm every day," rejoices this husband and father of two young children who, after calculation, notes that he only earns "about 12.50 euros an hour". "It’s not much." Mohamed sees bigger and remains confident in the future. "I would like to attract more prestigious clients, have a nicer vehicle... You can be a taxi driver and have a career plan."