Its amazing how regulated this market is. Is it needed? I personally think if cabs were not so amazingly expensive - about $4/mile they would make a bunch more sense. Otherwise they risk getting completely undercut by car2go and competitors
Good point, Allan. Among the proposals recommended by city staff is an increase in the taxi rates which the majority of cabdrivers oppose for reasons you've just described β they drive away customers. The city contends that the increase in rates will be necessary to offset the 35% loss of market share each driver will endure when those 132 new cabs hit the streets. This is yet another reason why the mayor's plans for the taxi industry fail to serve the community.
Sorry @Allan & @Nope - transportation in this town is a dirty corrupt asshole, probably second to "development" corruption, which is largely driven by transportation corruption.
Parking garages, taxies, pedicabs, light rail, buses, and street meters. All of it is bullshit, and there aint nothing "free" about any of these markets. Itβs all dirty, and someone is making a buck by fucking the rest of Portlanders right in their wallets.
Folks like Diamond are trying to leverage government to create and maintain a monopoly. It makes logical sense, and it's a move that Diamond has to make as a business man, and it's just more reason that private businesses shouldn't have any involvement in government, and government shouldn't have any involvement in private business.
@Andy - then why do I have to wait so long on a Friday or Saturday night for a cab, and why are cabs so expensive, and why do we have pedicabs, and why are people lobbying to get into the taxi business...?
I mean, all of those indicate that we do not have adequate taxi services.
Parking garages, taxies, pedicabs, light rail, buses, and street meters. All of it is bullshit, and there aint nothing "free" about any of these markets. Itβs all dirty, and someone is making a buck by fucking the rest of Portlanders right in their wallets.
Folks like Diamond are trying to leverage government to create and maintain a monopoly. It makes logical sense, and it's a move that Diamond has to make as a business man, and it's just more reason that private businesses shouldn't have any involvement in government, and government shouldn't have any involvement in private business.
I mean, all of those indicate that we do not have adequate taxi services.