The Municipality of Sassari has published a call for bids to award two new authorizations for chauffeur-driven car hire (NCC), for vehicles with up to nine seats. The call comes more than ten years after the previous procedure, held in 2015, and concerns authorizations made available following the closure of two businesses.

The notice was published by the Productive Activities Department after the Mascia administration approved the policy guidelines on the selection criteria, presented by councillor Lello Panu. In 2015, 12 licenses were awarded; the ranking from that procedure has expired and cannot be used for the new allocation.

The overall limit set by a 2007 resolution of the City Council is 40 authorizations: 39 for chauffeur-driven cars and one for a horse-drawn carriage. The two licenses covered by the call became available following the closure of two businesses.

Several factors relating to experience, qualifications and business organization will be assessed to compile the ranking. The criteria include:

  • length of time operating in the sector;
  • educational qualifications and knowledge of languages;
  • availability of a vehicle suitable for transporting people with disabilities;
  • the hiring of new staff by the operator awarded the authorization.

In the event of a tie, priority will be determined by whether the applicant has at least one person with a certified disability in their household, the number of dependent family members and the candidate’s younger age.

Panu linked the procedure to the opportunity to make the service more accessible: «We took the opportunity created by the closure of two old licenses to work towards an increasingly inclusive service, with provision for vehicles accessible to everyone». The councillor also called for discussions with the Region to identify ways to expand services, particularly for tourism and connections to the coast.

The councillor also announced plans to revise the taxi regulations in agreement with operators, to strengthen alternatives to private cars and support local public transport. A municipal planning document for 2026–2028 includes mapping NCC licenses and analyzing the area among its objectives, with the involvement of the relevant groups.

For those getting around the city, the new procedure is part of the range of mobility services available in Sassari, including buses, taxis and connections to the surrounding area.