It is being reported that the Massachusetts state legislature is considering a bill that would regulate Uber and Lyft in the state. While the proposed bill isn't law yet, it could spell the eventual end of the value of taxicab medallions in the Boston area.

Like in other areas, the price of medallions in Boston has been high and a lot of investors and drivers have purchased medallions at these high levels. There most certainly will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth when the bottom falls completely out of the medallion market if it hasn't already.

Based on what is reported to be and not to be in the new law, Uber's lobbyist may well have written the new law as it has no real onerous restrictions on Uber and Lyft. There is some verbiage about the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation coming up with some "products" to help the industry, which would probably end up being a stealth bailout of the banks holding the notes on the medallions. All in the name of helping small business succeed.

It doesn't appear the help will solve the problem of plummeting medallion prices, but it may soften the landing. Boston, seeing the writing on the wall, has reportedly decided to "ease" some of the taxicab regulations.

New York City is reported to be issuing new universal licenses for taxis and for hire drivers. The new license allows a driver to drive any type of vehicle for hire, yellow cabs, limousines or Uber cars. No drama there, except there is a provision in current law that requires drivers of yellow cabs to be able to speak English. So, to follow the logic, in order to get the new license that allows you to drive yellow cabs it would follow that you would need to speak English.

Whoa, not so fast there bucko, that would mean that limousine and Uber drivers would have to speak English. The bill disallows a written English test. Well, it's reported that taxi commissioner Meera Joshi testified that the requirement was unnecessary and could "inadvertently harm the newest New Yorkers", the newest drivers. So, how do you suppose Uber is going to deal with those riders who want a driver who speaks English?

Since the yellow cab drivers are required to speak English and the rest appear to be headed in the direction of not having to speak English, the city may have inadvertently figured out a way for yellow cabs to get more business.

It is somewhat bewildering to me that the taxi commissioner doesn't grasp the significance of the city's "newest New Yorkers" providing ground transportation to visitors in the city. I've only been to New York City a half dozen times, so it would be hard for me to be able to help one of the "newest New Yorkers" find my hotel. It would kind of bother me if I had to pay them to take me and give them directions at the same time. I guess that's why I'm not in government, I just don't understand these things.

It's reported that the Hyatt in Sacramento has restricted their taxicab choice to Yellow Cab of Sacramento and will no longer allow independents to enter the hotel holding area. The hotel has complained of poor service and poor vehicle quality from the independents and cut them out. The city claims they are not trying to push the independents out, but did respond with new requirements which include exams that focus on English language skills, proficiency in giving as well as Sacramento geography. Imagine that, drivers who are required to know where they are going.

Reports are that Yellow Cab of Broward County Florida is suing Broward County over the failure of the county to release the records of amounts owed to the county by Uber for airport pickups. The county released the reports requested by Yellow Cab but redacted the information the reports contained.

Uh, gee, that was a pretty useless exercise. It wouldn't have been that bad except similar information from Lyft and Yellow Cab is considered public records. Uber claims the information is proprietary information and should not be released. So, which is it?

It appears the courts are going to decide. It could be considered a one off situation except that Uber had a similar problem in New York City where it did not want to release trip information to the city. The entire cloak of secrecy makes one wonder if Uber is concerned their trip records might indicate how few trips they are really doing or what a huge number of trips they are doing. If you made me guess, I'd be inclined to believe that they didn't want anyone to know how few trips they were doing.

Companies always like to present a bigger than life image. If it's found out they're not the giant everyone believes, it might just reduce their political clout. That said they still have plenty of money to manage the result.

It's been reported that an executive of a bank holding a large portfolio of Chicago taxicab medallions says the Emanuel administration is "totally clueless" about the impact Uber and company are having on the value of taxicab medallions. I don't think any city administration across the country had any idea what Uber would do to the value of those "exclusive" rights medallions.

It seemed rather plain to me, but I've often thought that city regulators really doesn't grasp the dynamics of the taxicab industry. For one, they failed to recognize the cost of regulation. Uber has entered the industry essentially unregulated and demonstrated how service could be provided without government oversight.

It seemed painfully obvious from the start of the Uber experience that if the cities selling medallions didn't defend those medallions they would be worth nothing. While being worth nothing has yet to come to pass, the prices are a lot closer to nothing than they used to be.

It's been reported that Austin, Texas has decided to allow applications for a co-op taxicab company. So far there haven't been any applications, but drivers think it would be easier on them if they owned the company. Unfortunately, there is something that is required to start a business in this world that taxicab drivers do not seem to be able to hold on to, money.

While I have long been in favor of individually owned permits being doled out to long time drivers rather than companies, a co-op would still take some cash to open. The rules that govern the Austin taxicab business require some expense to be paid in advance of the first fare, like paint scheme, meters, twenty four hour dispatch, and a host of others.

The capital required to fund the operations for the first few months alone would take a sizable outlay that drivers would be hard pressed to finance, either with their cash or bank financing. While the city leaders may have their hearts in the right place I would question where their heads might be.

Look out Uber, the DC taxicab app is here! The city is reported to have "invested" a half million dollars in the free app. Huh? Now help me here, if it's free to get trips, free to download for driver and customer then how exactly is the city going to get reimbursed for the creation and upkeep of the "free" app?

Besides the app, Uber has also done a few things that I doubt the city is prepared to do, like say rate the drivers. The city has installed central dispatch via phone app and become a taxicab dispatch service. Sooner or later somebody, somewhere is going to have to pay to keep up the system. Have we figured out how that's going to happen? By the way, I left my computer in the taxicab I just got out of, is there a phone number to call for that?

Reports from the Houston taxicab business are that Sharon Kyles is retiring from her freelance work for Lone Star Cab of Houston. Ms. Kyles has worked for every major taxicab company in Houston at one time or another and is reported to be an expert in communications, customer service, handicapped transportation, driver training and driver relations. She has worked with multiple dispatch platforms and managed a communications department that dispatched five companies on full GPS dispatch simultaneously.

Ms. Kyles is widely loved and respected in the Houston, and Austin, taxicab business and will be sorely missed by those who worked with and for her. Not to mention those who will have to do the job she vacated. Congratulations, Sharon Kyles, on a sterling career in the industry and managing office personalities with dignity and no violence..

If you have any comments regarding this or any of my articles please feel free to contact me at don@mcacres.com.

—dmc