INDUSTRY IN REVIEW

By Don McCurdy

What is it?

What is it about the taxicab industry that leads bureaucrats, politicians and even regular citizens want to make up new rules? The New York City "iconic cab search" is a clear example of too much is never enough. First, mandating a specific purpose built vehicle will increase costs of vehicle purchase and vehicle maintenance. Henry Ford was able to bring down the price of the automobile by mass production. How many of these iconic cabs do we think are going to be mass produced? Despite the fact that the global warming hoax has been exposed the city is still willing to spend somebody else's money to produce a more "environmentally friendly taxicab."

Reports are that the NYC medallions have increased in value from 300 to 500%, depending on type, since 1990. That makes it one of the best protection rackets in history. How about this, how about if the city does a study that determines how much of the average taxicab fare is comprised of the costs of compliance with asinine city regulations, you know the ones beyond the actual safety related regulations, and how much is actually comprised of the transportation side of the equation? Oh, I forgot, for bureaucrats there are no asinine regulations. My speculation would be that NYC taxicab riders are paying a huge price for the city's over regulation of the NYC taxicab market.

Only the government can do it.

Speaking of protection, it appears the Panama City and Panama City Beach taxicab companies want the county to adopt an ordinance similar to the city ordinances. The companies are concerned that "...any derelict or sex pervert can drive around in Bay County. You can be a drug addict, sex pervert, murderer or anything at all." Wow, how civic minded.

All that said the real issue is that small time competitors can encroach on the business in the country and the city companies are at a competitive disadvantage because they have to abide by the city rules which, of course, costs money. The simple addition of a 24 hour dispatch facility requirement can preclude small operators from doing business in the unincorporated areas of the county. Minimum safeguards for the safety of the riding public are a good thing, protectionist rules that are not designed to promote passenger safety and service are not.

Bay County commissioners should not be confused. Taxicab companies don't approach regulators for more regulation unless the regulations are to the benefit of the taxicab company. Stick to the business of protecting the citizens of the county, not limiting their choices for service.

Despite changes bureaucrats rule.

Much ado was made of the legislative changes in Colorado a few years ago that was supposed to allow new entrants into the taxicab market. The allowance of competition was supposed to improve the industry and give riders and drivers more choices. So much for legislative intent.

Recently, Mile High Cab's application was refused entry by a judge citing potential economic damage to the existing taxicab companies in the Denver area. Now, nobody has ever claimed or even implied that I was a "driver advocate," but to deny drivers the opportunity to pay substantially lower lease fees simply to protect the companies that determined the present high level of lease payment in the first place is simply wrong.

While proper regulation is important to the vitality of any industry, regulation that stifles growth, competition and free enterprise is un-American. Allowing companies to continue operation with little or no real competition is just another form of government bailout. While I am not privy to the level of service the existing companies provide I have been told of their treatment of drivers and the amounts that drivers are required to pay to be able to work.

The judge's ruling is simply a continued assignment of serf status to Colorado taxicab drivers. The state is essentially allowing companies to operate inefficiently at the expense of riders and drivers. Somebody in Colorado should be embarrassed, but I doubt anyone is.

Cat herding hits hurdles.

Ocean City Maryland passed their new ordinance, but it's just not as simple as writing it on paper. It seems that the city is having problems finding drivers when it's their time to take the random drug tests. It's being reported that only 8 of 12 drivers picked for random drug testing actually showed up for the tests. The rest couldn't be located. The council is now anguishing over who to yell at for no compliance. Associate Risk Manager Christine Parks is reported to have stated that "there's no hammer to put down on these people to get them to respond." Great visual there, Chris.

Other attributed comments are:

Councilman Jim Hall: "Let's chase after the owners of the company, period."

Councilman Doug Cymek: "We've got to deal with the medallion holder. That's where the leverage is."

Now, I wouldn't want the good folks in Ocean City government to think I'm down laughing uncontrollably or anything, but the real test of any "new and improved" ordinance isn't the amount you get for the medallion, it's how you enforce the ordinance. A single taxicab inspector, who knows what he’s doing, solves all of these problems. The devil is in the details, I'm told, or in this case, perhaps, the meow.

A Loophole you can drive a bus through.

It's been reported that a decades old paratransit solution utilizing taxicabs has been declared discriminatory by the Austin Texas transit authority, Capital Metro. Metro's contention is that the program is discriminatory since the taxicab companies can't guarantee a wheelchair taxicab will be available for wheelchair clients. This just in, Metro, the cab companies can't guarantee that a cab will be available for anyone. All of the companies in Austin utilize independent contractor drivers so they can't, and for sure won't, guarantee a cab to anyone, ever. The real issue is that the taxicab drivers aren't union and the bus drivers are.

It costs Capital Metro over twice as much to provide the same service and the riders like the service and the freedom to choose which taxicab company they want to ride with. That competition affords the rider a level of service that Capital Metro can't provide and can't guarantee. Having personal experience with the Special Transit System program I'm not surprised that it has finally fallen to the bureaucracy. They tried to get rid of the program several times in the past and bureaucracies don't like being shown up by private companies. It's unfortunate for the handicapped community that Metro appears to have finally come up with an excuse to get rid of a very successful paratransit program.

Free speech leaves groups squealing.

Pamela Geller, leader of a movement called Stop the Islamization of America has the muslim community squealing, um, yeah, okay, make that up in arms over taxicab advertising calling attention to the issue of honor killings. Geller's group's website, LeaveIslamSafely.com, appears concerned with those wanting to leave islam safely. Her outspoken opposition to the ground zero mosque also has muslim groups astir.

While nobody is mentioning that Geller and her group have free speech rights, they do. Part of having free speech is having to put up with other's free speech. While the group promoting the ground zero mosque has a right to build it there if they can afford it, groups and individuals have a right to protest it. Many of the same groups that are dismissing the feelings of others while promoting building the mosque are concerned deeply with the feelings the signs might have on taxicab riding customers. How civic minded.

Sorry boys, the shoes only go on the feet one way. Personally, I think the ground zero mosque should be built, both as a testament to the freedoms this great country allows and as a reminder to all that religious zealots of any stripe are dangerous to themselves and others. As stated in the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Any group, religion, or person wanting to change that is dangerous. So while you're so noisily demanding your own rights remember that others have the same rights. But hey, you get to whine about them.

When idiots reign!

Every once in a while you have to wonder what they were thinking. The Madison Wisconsin Equal Opportunities Commission has ruled that taxicabs can't ask for the money in advance. While I cannot even grasp how the issue got in front of the Equal Opportunities Commission I do have to wonder what they were thinking.

Alone in the vehicle with a larger, younger and faster rider taxicab drivers in Madison are now at the whim of the passenger as to whether or not they pay. Sorry, the police don't even come out for theft of service anymore. Could it be that the commissioners are too stupid to understand practical reality versus deep theory? Since I don't grasp the government's interference in the minutia of business transactions I fail to see how they should even be discussing if driver's have the right to ask for a deposit. Since the police wouldn't come out anyway I'd demand a deposit on every fare. Let's see how that would shake out with the EOC.

Just so you know.

I am not a reporter. I review articles related to the taxicab industry and give my opinion. This is an opinion column. If you have any comments about my opinions feel free to email me at dmc@mcacres.com. If you would like to have me killed please take a number. —dmc