Time for Tampa International Airport to honor their contracts with the taxi industry and shut out Uber.

We are entering a Neolithic age of capitalism. Oh, that is a Cuban cigar from Havana - against federal law to have one - Screw 'em

(Check my Twitter bar to view videos of my opinion on this)

The Tampa Airport Directors of Operations are screwing the local cab drivers up the ass. The local taxi companies have an exclusive contract on "transportation for hire" at the airport. The taxi companies pay $250,000 a year for the right to pick up. (You have to pay to play when it comes to the airport...unless you are Uber or Lyft). Uber pays ZERO $$$. Do you know that? And they are allowed to pick up in the tunnel where we are banned from. In fact, an ADO told me that for every 1 fare we pick up, Uber picks up 11. That is an outrage.

It is time that the drivers protect their own rights and the taxi companies need to support us in this. Let me explain:

The taxi business is not going well in Tampa. It is worse than what is commonly known. If it were not for the Logisticare charges we receive, the taxi companies would be out of business. The number of cash fares have dropped off to a negligible amount that can not sustain a fleet of several hundred taxi cabs. Our last chance was the airport.

It used to be that the days before Thanksgiving were very good for the cab drivers. Wednesday, the average wait was five hours while the Uber drivers swooped in and took our business. They were bragging about it on the local news about making $200 a day this week. I'm telling you, the cab drivers are not making anything. If they are like me, they are behind on their rent, electricity, and other bills..

The coming months are usually the best part of the year at the airport. If the drivers do not make money - THEY WILL BE GONE!!! The cab companies will not be able to get anyone who wants to drive with a daily nut of $130.

The situation is so urgent, I believe both Yellow Cab and United Cab will be out of business by next summer. Without the airport being profitable, the drivers cannot survive..hence, the companies cannot survive.

I am not being over the top with this prediction. It cannot continue at this pace. Something must happen or Uber will have a total monopoly in Tampa. Mr. Mayor and Dana Young, explain how a monopoly in any business benefits the consumer. It does not.

Uber will now be free to charge any price they want and there will be no alternative for the general public. Please consider this as a fact.

Comments

AnonymousFebruary 2, 2017 at 11:39 AM
behind this injustice are politicians like Donna Young and Jeff Brandes who are corporate puppets .
Brandes is in the pocket of Koch brother and probably taking bribes from anyone who is willing to pay for "favors"
plz check wiki article about Jeff Brandes at

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Brandes
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