The fascinating story of a myPOS client who turns his taxi into a karaoke

If you find yourself on a busy street in Rome, looking for a cab to take you to your destination, you may not know what will await you. Why? Because you could just end up in the cab of Il Duca 40 – Italy’s famous sing-along cab driver who encourages his passengers to sing with him to make the journey more enjoyable.

So, who is Il Duca 40 and why this specific pseudonym? Emanuele Della Seta chose Il Duca 40 for several reasons. One being that he is a huge fan of cinema with artists like David Bowie and John Wayne being referred to as the “white duke” and the “duke of Hollywood”, respectively. Then, there was his grandfather, known as the Duke of Sant Ambrogio and a gentleman called Angelino 40, who one day was dared to eat 40 rice balls and inspired Emanuele when he was kid. It was simple thereafter. “I combined the two and Duca 40 was born,” said Emanuele.

But Il Duca 40 hasn’t always been a cab driver. His journey on the streets of Rome began 15 years ago, when he realised that his then peddling job was not going too well and he chose the transport sector. Although quite afraid of the change, it enabled his artistic side to come out through getting his passengers to sing. All this was encouraged by his mother when he was young, to make him and his siblings feel good.

Of course, not all passengers like to sing. This is why Il Duca 40 will first ask them if they like music and if they would like to sing. He’s definitely had his share of VIPs and celebrities boarding his taxi and joining in with him on his sing-alongs. Some have even gone viral as he records the performances on his phone. He has, for example, transported Emma Marrone and Carlo Siliotto as passengers, and joined their taxi duet. This is despite the fact that he has never taken a singing course in his life.

According to Il Duca 40, who is part of RadioTaxi 3570, a part of URI Services with 7,000 taxis using the myPOS Smart device, there’s a difference between listening to music and singing. He said that singing takes away a lot of thoughts. “You have to sing a song, take away what you are thinking about to remember the words and sing in time.” This is why he invites people who seem a little stressed to sing, as this can help ease their nerves. This is how joy is transmitted, he said. 

But it’s not always joyful for Il Duca 40. He recalled the start of the Covid-19 pandemic when Rome seemed to be entirely deserted by day. Never being an empty city, this was like a “stab in the heart” for him. But his singing got him through this period.

Another change that Il Duca 40 has faced has been the digitalisation of payments. While initially it was a difficult idea for him to grasp, now he sees that his myPOS Smart payment terminal does come in handy. He said that many passengers these days pay through his POS device and he enjoys the long-lasting battery, and the fact the payments take seconds to process.

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In fact, the myPOS Smart is an Android-powered POS terminal. It enables taxi businesses like Il Duca 40 to manage all their transactions with ease on the go. And the best part is the instant settlement of funds because with it, all myPOS merchants can enjoy real-time access to their funds through their free merchant account with IBAN and free Visa business card. 

What benefits does this translate to for a taxi driver? Well, with instant settlement, it means that they’re able to fill up their car with fuel as soon as a customer pays them. All they need to do is pay with their free Visa business card or withdraw cash from an ATM.

And while Il Duca 40 appreciates all of the modern tools myPOS offers, he’s also a lover of all things traditional, including Frank Sinatra. He appreciates values like courtesy, politeness and education, as something that will help merchants (and all people) have a better experience.

His unique personality and values have made Il Duca 40 a star and now he’s part of the TV program “NSL – Zara 87” on channel 74. Every Monday at 21:30, he goes out with a couple of colleagues, inviting people to get into a taxi and tell their story. This taxi ride is free.

So, if you find yourself in Rome, looking to catch a cab, Il Duca 40 is waiting for you ready to sing the next song together and make your journey an unforgettable one. And don’t worry if you’re not carrying cash. You can always pay with a card through the convenient myPOS Smart payment terminal. Since myPOS has a physical store in Rome now, too, why not ask him to take you there and you will be able to see all the advantages of the myPOS offering? He’d be more than happy to. The myPOS Team in Rome in Via Emanuele Filiberto 154 awaits you from April 8th.

Enjoy the melodies!