"Taxi monopolies" or "Why are there so many drunk drivers on the roads

[yukoncpa]

I don’t mind this discussion on vigilantism at all. Indeed I find it interesting. But please keep in mind that the purpose of my OP was that as a result of these taxi monopolies, many more drunks that would otherwise not drive, are driving. However, I realize there are all sorts of ramifications to my post, and I am definitely finding them interesting. Carry on everyone.

[ianlippert]

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As it turns out, there is some sort of wacko monopoly system on cabs in San Diego. Can anyone elaborate on this weirdness?

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Do you know how much a taxi license out there costs? Alaska sounds sweet!

[mosdef]

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As it turns out, there is some sort of wacko monopoly system on cabs in San Diego. Can anyone elaborate on this weirdness?

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Do you know how much a taxi license out there costs? Alaska sounds sweet!

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If you are considering the relative merits of San Diego and Alaska and you are considering primarily job opportunities as a taxi driver, I believe your analysis is overlooking some fairly significant factors.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0762183.html

[Borodog]

yukoncpa,

Fantastic post. This is the kind of post we need more of.

The New York City taxi monopoly is notorious. Taxi companies.lobbied the city decades ago to require occupational licensure to stop the "ruinous competition". If I remember correctly, 11,000 licenses were originally issued. I think that number has increased by something like 400 in total over the past 40 years.

As a result, cab licenses now go for around $200,000. Cab rides are extremely expensive. Cabs are impossible to get when it is rainy, or during peak demand hours, or when black. Artificially limiting the supply of cabs easily let's cabbies exercise their racism without being punished by the market, sine you can pass by any nber of black men hailing because their is always whitey on the next corner hailing as well. Cabs with 3 empty seats will drive by without stopping for other passengers. Cabs are almost all owned by big cab companies since individuals cannot afford to take out a mortgage to get a cab license.

Contrast this with a city like DC, where anyone can get a cag license by showings driver's license, proof of insurance and paying some nominal fee of $35 or something. Cabs are everywhere, rides are cheap, cabs will pick up multiple riders, a black man can get a cab, etc. Students and immigrants become cabbies because it is a job that requires little capital investment and has total freedom of hours (not to mention the lack of a boss to report their wages to the IRS).

[Dan.]

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cabs will pick up multiple riders

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Slight hijack, but this is a huge pet-peeve of mine. If I'm opting for a cab over public transit, I don't want anyone else getting in the cab nor do I want to be the 2nd party.

[Borodog]

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cabs will pick up multiple riders

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Slight hijack, but this is a huge pet-peeve of mine. If I'm opting for a cab over public transit, I don't want anyone else getting in the cab nor do I want to be the 2nd party.

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Then you can buy all 4 seats.

[RedBean]

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As a result, cab licenses now go for around $200,000.

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Even worse, it's up to about 300-350k nowadays, hasn't been as "low" as 200k since the mid to late nineties.

By the time I finish this post, it may be at 375k.

You could invent an instant teleportation device (regional teleportation, obviously, playing by Dr Who transmat rules) and NYC would ban it's use inside the city in order to protect the cab monopoly.

Anyone know the penalty or fine for "running an illegal cab service"?

With licenses that steep and temptation that great, it's got to be some out of control fine.

[BCPVP]

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yukoncpa,

Fantastic post. This is the kind of post we need more of.

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QFT. Especially liked the part where cab companies were essentially taking over what are generally considered "police" functions and doing so effectively.

[yukoncpa]

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Do you know how much a taxi license out there costs? Alaska sounds sweet!



[/ QUOTE ] You need a cheuffeurs license in Alaska, plus it helps if you pay a dispatcher service a monthly fee. Incidently, I left AK before cell phone technology really took off, but while I was there, setting up shop as a dispatcher was fairly lucrative. Half the people I played poker with were cab drivers and loved their jobs. I don't think there is any other fee, but nowadays things could certainly be different.

[yukoncpa]

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Do you know how much a taxi license out there costs? Alaska sounds sweet!



[/ QUOTE ] What I thought were just dispatcher fees was indeed also permit fees ( or lease ). When I was in Alaska, 1990, Permits could be leased for $700 a month. Don't know what the cost of buying one is. My guess is that there were very few regulations other then the payment for a permit. I didn't drive a cab myself, but many of my friends did and they weren't restrited as to fees or hours (certainly not that I could tell) they worked whenever they wanted. There may have been a standard airport fee, for example, that I'm just unaware of. I tried to call one of my old friends and ask him, but I've been unsuccessful. .