Quote:
Originally Posted by pgsieve
Daorcey- Can you explain the rationale behind the taxi decision. IE: What the "danger" is by issuing more cabs. I keep hearing that the taxi industry is "down" but what is the exact harm in letting me people have the license? In my mind... If I pass all the tests and want to become a taxi driver I should be able to. If I start working and realize I can't make enough money because there are too many cabs, I'll find a new job.
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Thanks for posting here... I'm not actively searching the other threads, so I don't see questions elsewhere. There are a couple of answers to your question depending on what you mean by "danger".
If you're talking about adding an unlimited amount of cabs to the market, the "danger" in doing that is flooding the market. I understand that when other cities have done that they end up making driving a cab an unreasonable career choice (ie: drivers can't make enough money to continue) and making it even more difficult to find a cab (as drivers either leave the industry or focus on only proven areas). There's a lot more to cab regulation that I'm sure you can find out there... I'm no expert and have asked a lot of these questions myself (ie: I'm really not in a position to get into a debate here... just sharing what I know).
The other "danger" has arisen with the prospect of Uber and other similar providers. Philosophically, The City is very supportive of technology coming in and disrupting the industry to improve customer service. However, The City (as the regulator) must put customer safety first. The concern with some new entrants is that they may encourage taxi drivers that do not have the appropriate insurance... or the company does not have the appropriate insurance to cover an accident or abuse by a driver. If that insurance is there, then there's no problem with Uber (or something like it).
And to wrap: here's what the mayor said yesterday regarding the most recent decision on taxi licenses: