I do want to applaud the Mayor and City Representatives for almost returning all of their “rights” to taxi drivers. As I read the proposed Transportation For Hire Municipal Code of El Paso Texas, it appears to me that city government has returned 80% of my Freedom, Liberty, and Independence.
The return of my “rights” will allow me to manage my business my way with the goals having fun while conducting business and generating the income necessary to my life according to my wants and desires by becoming more attractive to the customer by respecting the customer and the customer’s money.
The 18 years I have been a taxi driver there has been no real reason to try and win the customer over because of all the constraints imposed by the oppressive and intrusive Vehicle For Hire code. I as a taxi driver basically existed to have everyone else tell my how to run my business.
I am still concerned that members of city government still want to tell members of private industry how to manage their business. My customers keep my in line. They either purchase my services or they do not purchase my services. I am wise enough to know I have to behave in a manner that encourages people to purchase my services.
Moreover, I do see the new proposed “codes” as a good start. However, I do have some objections.
The following comment is related to Proposed Transportation for Hire Municipal Code 6.04.200 Solicitation, Street Hails- Prohibited Section A-2(A: A driver may not solicit passengers 2: By paying an employee of another business to solicit passengers or to give preferential treatment in directing passengers to the driver’s Transportation For Hire Vehicle). Business is about partnerships. Partnerships benefit each member of the partnership. If a business in El Paso, Texas, USA finds it beneficial to have taxis available for its customers, I do not see why members of city government need to interfere in this relationship.
The following opinion is related to Transportation for Hire Municipal code 6.04.200 Section B. ( A person may not hail a TNC of taxicab. Request for TNC and taxicab transportation shall be made through a digital network or dispatch center). The taxi industry begins with the convenience of the customer. This brings me to my second objection. If a am traveling on El Paso road in my taxi and a person signals me to stop and pick him or her up, I should be able pick them up. It is not the fault of the customer that UBER partners will not be operating easily identifiable vehicles. The customer should not have his or her convenience interfered with by government. The customer should not be considered a criminal for wanting available and convenient transportation.
The following items are the supposed motives for the Transportation For Hire codes:
1.Protection of public welfare.
2.Availability of multiple public transportation options from which consumers may select.
3.Facilitation of free enterprise and competition within the Transportation For Hire industry.
In my opinion, there is no such thing as “regulated competition in the free market system”. Items 2 and 3 in the motives to regulate Transportation For Hire are not a true functions of governments. These conditions occur naturally in the relationship between buyer and seller. Therefore, the items I have mentioned are constraints put on private businesses by El Paso city government and interfere with a private business in being innovative and creative in findings ways to compete in a free market system.
Again, the customers of Taxi Companies are taxi drivers. Taxi companies make money from the rent they charge taxi drivers, who are partnered with them. By taking phone calls from members of the public looking for transpiration services Taxi Companies are serving as brokers between the taxi drivers and the taxi service customers.
Taxi drivers are the ones who provide members of the public with transportation services. In my opinion, the codes I mentioned above interfere with my ability as a taxi driver to earn a decent living.
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