In August 9th 2018 the city of El Paso Texas government voted to remove the majority of taxi regulations. However, again less than two years later this same government is trying to subject taxi drivers in el paso texas USA to more regulations. It is suspicious that this new attempt at violating my civil rights comes after state of Texas took over regulation of uber and lyft. I guess el paso texas government wants to make up monies lost from loosing uber and lyft revenue. The following is my rebuttal to this new attempt at tyranny by the government of el paso texas usa.
From the office of
Mr. Jesus Lopez Ledesma
Owner/Operator of Jesse’s Taxi Service
915 345 3765
BACKGROUND CHECKS
Insurance companies preform intensive background checks on their customers. Taxi businesses have a lot to loose if they do something that jeopardizes their insurance, such as operating an unsafe taxis. Therefore, taxi companies have a big incentive to make sure taxi drivers not jeopardize their insurance. Fear of being sued by a member of the community is a better control structure than taxi inspectors and police officers with bad and anti taxi industry attitudes.
In August 9th of 2016 El Paso City Council and the Mayor took a bold step towards Freedom, Liberty, and Independence. After close to thirty years of a tyrannical Vehicle For Hire regulations elected officials decided to get out of the business of micro-managing El Paso Texas taxi drivers. Granted that a love affair with UBER was the result of this freedom. None the less Reagan was right. Government is not the solution. Government is the problem.
Now, at the direction of El Paso City government employees, new repressive and coercive regulation are bring considered. Customers have the right to say no or say yes to a taxi driver. Just because customers do not want to pay, it does not mean that taxi drivers are doing anything wrong.
America is about freedom. I am a free person in a free country engaged in the free market. I should have control of my prices, my business, and my business vehicle. I should not be forced to have my business documents illegally searched by taxi inspectors of the city of El Paso, Texas. There has to be credible evidence that I have committed a crime in order for police officers ( by use of a search warrant) be allowed to view my business records. Taxi Inspectors are not certified peace officers in the State of Texas. There is no need for Texas Certified Peace Officers to be working in El Paso Texas as taxi inspectors.
The 4th amendment of the US Constitution clearly states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized”. Taxi inspectors ordering a taxi driver to show them his or her drivers license, insurance voucher, and any other document does not meet this standard.
Part of the 14th Amendment states, “…No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Other people in El Paso, Texas have the right to earn a living. People conducting business as taxi drivers have the right to earn a living.
I started as a taxi driver in El Paso, Texas back in 1998. My first encounter with a taxi inspector that led me to believe that taxi inspectors in El Paso Texas are not aware of individual rights was an incident where a taxi inspector tried to order me to tell him what happened at the Bridge of the Americas. Another taxi inspector told me to,” tell him the truth or he would suspend me”. One vehicle for hire supervisor and another taxi inspector used to use taxi drivers as snitches. The taxi drivers serving as snitches were and are the worst taxi drivers in El Paso, Texas because they knew and know that they are protected by taxi inspectors of the city of El Paso, Texas. In addition, these taxi driver snitches trafficked in “rumor” and “innuendo”.
Moreover, I was requested by a manager of a taxi company to offer a tip to the city of El Paso police garage employee were I was forced to have taxis inspected. I would find it strange that after the taxi would pass inspection, the city employee at the police garage would linger around the taxi while I turned on the engine, put on my seat belt, and started to drive away.
One taxi inspector in the past would loiter at the Bridges of the Americas and give citations to taxi drivers in that area who were not his friends. Taxi drivers who were his friends, this inspector would allow to pick up trips and would not give them citations. This was happening before August 9th 2018.
Presently Taxi Inspectors allow certain taxi drivers to park in Taxi Zone A while they load their taxis with mostly females who these taxi drivers take to their jobs as illegal maids. These taxi drivers occupy between one to four spaces taxi drivers who want to enter the Taxi Zone could use to move up to the front in order to get a trip. In addition, I have observed two current male taxi inspectors open the doors of two taxis and look inside without the permission of the driver and/or taxi owner.
The abuse, corruption, and tyranny of taxi inspectors, we taxi drivers could not speak of prior to August 9th, 2016. The taxi company owners would disassociate themselves from any taxi driver who was made to look like he or she was causing grief to the city of El Paso taxi inspectors. This meant that a taxi driver would not be allowed to operate a taxi under any taxi company. In El Paso, Texas defending my rights and telling the truth is considered causing grief to the Vehicle for Hire Department and the current Transportation for Hire department.
Since August 9th 2016 I have encountered several Taxi Inspectors in El Paso, Texas who do not have any professional respect for Individual rights of taxi drivers. For a police officer to demand a Drivers License and/or Insurance Voucher that officer needs Reasonable Suspicion that leads to Probable Cause. Why do Taxi Inspectors of El Paso, Texas think that they have greater powers than police officers? I have had several run ins with current taxi inspectors. One current and one past inspector told me to, “prove it” when I informed them that they did not have the authority to search me. I had to read the Transportation For Hire code to these two inspectors. I am sure these taxi inspectors knew the Transportation For Hire code I cited and were just being petty and immature.
Color Scheme of Taxis and lettering
After August 9th, 2016 many taxi drivers opened their own taxi companies and freed themselves from morally deprived dinosaur taxi company owners. I count around ten independent taxi companies. It is conceivable that there will be more independent taxi companies. There are not enough colors in the rainbow to have a distinct color scheme for every current taxi company and future taxi company in El Paso, Texas.
Moreover, painting taxis and applying letters cost money. I called body and paint shops and was quoted between $1200 and 1900 to paint a vehicle. Lettering cost between $100 and $200. If the government of the city of El Paso texas forces me to buy signage and paint my taxi I will have to pass on this expense to the customer.
In my opinion, customers, taxi drivers, and government employees need to grow up. Again, just because a customer does not want to a pay a taxi driver’s price it does not mean the taxi driver is committing a crime. Conducting business in America is not a crime.
Between 1985 and 2004 the city of El Paso did not allow taxi drivers to adjust their prices. This was a 19 year period. Currently many taxi drivers are still charging the prices that were established by the city of El Paso in 2005. These prices are 13 years old prices.
I know my expenses and the actual amount of potential taxi customers. Therefore, I am the one who knows how much I should be charging. Even though the remaining two dinosaur taxi companies have saved a lot of money after August 9th, 2016 these taxi companies are still holding the taxi drivers partnered with them to 13 year old prices and charging them the same rent.
I have to compete with all the drivers who are not allowed to adjust their taxi meters in order for their prices to reflect the real world in the calender year 2018. Motor oil, transmission oil, brake parts, suspension part, tires, and all other auto parts are sold at 2018 prices. The state of Texas keeps increasing the cost of vehicle license plates and vehicle inspections.
Appearance of taxis
Taxis are working vehicles. People are coming in and going out of a taxi. This results in wear and tear on the vehicle. No working taxi is going to be in perfect condition.
I was parked at taxi zone A at 100 6th street and a person allowed the door of his over sized truck to fly open and hit the fender of my taxi. This resulted in an indentation and scratched paint. About a month ago I was stopped at the loading and unloading area at the airport, when a man came speeding in reverse and smashed in to the front of my taxi. This resulted in a one inch tear and an indentation on the front bumper and front bumper no longer centered. On mesa street a young brat girl was paying more attention to her cell phone and her party friends in her vehicle then the road and she rear ended me. In 2016 a man playing races and running red lights completely totaled my taxi.
Therefore, we taxi drivers want to keep our taxi in good condition but normal wear and tear and irresponsible drivers are damaging our vehicles. I understand that customers want well maintained vehicles. In addition, because I want to succeed in the taxi industry I know I have to attract customer with the signage that is on my vehicle and the inner and outer appearance of my taxi.
I can say that I have noticed that the appearance of taxis has improved since August 9th of 2018. I used to rent taxis from taxi companies that should not of been allowed on Texas roads much less allowed to operate as taxis. Somehow these vehicles were approved by the city employees inspecting taxis at the city of El Paso, Texas police garage.
Therefore, I do not need nor am I asking for the opinions from taxi inspectors and police on how my taxi should look. The best identifier on any vehicle, including taxis, is the license plate. I have been a taxi driver in El Paso Texas close to twenty years. I can tell the city reps and mayor of El Paso, Texas that customers do not pay attention to make and model, paint, or taxi company name of the taxis they get into while they use a taxi.
Adult customers need to be informed that it is their responsibility to protect their money and property. I personally believe city government is making people weak and unable to take care of them selves by giving the appearance they will protect them against taxi driver. I buy all of my stuff and I do not let any one take advantage of me. I ask questions and only purchase from people who meet my standards.
Again, the only signage I would be in favor of would be a sign inside the taxi stating:
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CUSTOMER TO ARRANGE THE PRICE FOR SERVICE WITH THE DRIVER BEFORE SERVICE BEGINS
ES LA RESPONSABILIDAD DE EL CLIENTE ARRIEGLAR EL PRECIO DE SERVICIO CON EL CHAUFER ANTES QUE CONIENSE EL SERVICIO.
Potential taxi customers need to grow up. The calender year is 2018. Nothing cost what it cost in 1950. No one has the right to cheap taxi services. Customers have rights. Taxi drivers have rights.
The greater point is the point of choice. Customers can choose to not do business with any taxi driver who does not provide the service they want. I ,as a taxi driver, should not be forced to provide service at a price that is not in my best interest. In the free market, the buyer and seller come to an agreement on the price.
The idea that taxi drivers are committing crimes just because customers do not want to pay the taxi drivers price is a false assumption. As a taxi driver I know how many rides I will have on any given day, I know my expenses, and I know what kind of life I would like to have. Therefore, I am the only person who knows how much I should charge.
I do not have to have a distinct color scheme, numbers, lettering to identify me to the customer or to the police. I know I have the right to charge what I want to charge. What a taxi driver charges is the correct price and should be the right price in a free nation.
I have good customer service skills. I accept credit cards on my smart phone and use Google maps to find locations for the customer. I print and give receipts. I work with the customer on price. I always greet a customer. I thank a customer when they pay. At the end of service I thank the customer and wish him and/or her a good day.
Therefore, I do not need negative minded taxi inspectors and negative minded police to require a certain color scheme, lettering, aesthetic, trip sheets, and other control structure. The customers will control taxi drivers by either choosing to give them their money or choosing to not give taxi drivers their money.
I would like the mayor and city representatives to remember that taxi drivers in El Paso, Texas are still under the challenge of Uber and Lyft. Uber and Lyft services are so cheap that they water down the price of people transportation so much that even their own “partner drivers” cannot earn a decent living. Most Uber and Lyft drivers have part time jobs, if not full time jobs, apart from being partnered with Uber and/or Lyft.
Moreover, I am offended that I am seen as criminal just for trying to conduct business in a free nation as a free person in the free market. As a taxi driver do I have the right to:
1. 2 days off a week
2. A nine to five/five day work week
3. Two week vacation during the summer
4. Live in the home I want to live in
5. Steak and Potatoes
6. Champagne and Caviar
7. And anything else I am willing to work for to buy?
I am the person encountering cold, heat, rude dudes with bad attitudes, and violent and aggressive people. Therefore, I should benefit from the fruits of my labor. If taxi drivers are misbehaving, let them put them selves out of business. That is the natural order of the Free Market
In closing, I learned the secret to life a long time ago. The secret to life is to have fun and be positive will meeting the challenges to life. I am trying to have fun. However, here comes El Paso city government to try and take my money and interfere in my ability to earn a living.
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