The goal of this policy like others worldwide is volume restriction for pollution reduction and traffic control. Whether a car is a taxi or one of these private taxi services claimed as ride-share services, its exhaust creates air pollution. Even if it is electric, there is air pollution created at the utility. Wasting energy is a waste. Cities also have finite areas meaning traffic must be managed. Access for emergency vehicles must be ensured.
The city sets the rules. The rules are there will be a limited number of cabs and the price will be fixed. Cab companies compete as they can within that framework. If we no longer need that framework, just cancel it. We don't need a two tiers system with some companies allowed not to respect the framework. And Uber is a taxi company, despite what they pretend to be.
If we don't want the city to regulate this, we can elect politicians who will dismiss the regulation. I have no problem with that. But until then, Uber should have to buy medallion like every other cab company.
And the problems with the medallion system are legendary. Sounds like they want to create another similar boondoggle with rideshare licenses, since capping them seems awfully similar to a de facto second medallion system.
If you're not familiar with taxi medallion issues, let's just start with the biggest. Their massive cost (way down from $500k, but still very high: $160-300k as of this posting) means they're rarely owned by the drivers themselves, who rent them. A slow day often means actually losing mone
Normal cabs are already capped by the limited number of taxi medallions that are out there.
The city sets the rules. The rules are there will be a limited number of cabs and the price will be fixed.
Cab companies compete as they can within that framework.
If we no longer need that framework, just cancel it. We don't need a two tiers system with some companies allowed not to respect the framework. And Uber is a taxi company, despite what they pretend to be.
If we don't want the city to regulate this, we can elect politicians who will dismiss the regulation. I have no problem with that.
But until then, Uber should have to buy medallion like every other cab company.
If you're not familiar with taxi medallion issues, let's just start with the biggest. Their massive cost (way down from $500k, but still very high: $160-300k as of this posting) means they're rarely owned by the drivers themselves, who rent them. A slow day often means actually losing mone