Occupy Taxi: The Gilded Age of Taxi driving is near

Cabs at Tampa airport.

I am a 19 year United Cab of Tampa driver who likes his job. It has done me well over the years and I have been able to make an honest living. Something now threatens that livelihood - rideshare apps. The illegal Uber and Lyft operations, if successful, will drive the transportation industry to a new Gilded Age of robber barons who control everything and the public welfare is not served. Natural monopolies would develop and you would now have your 1%, with no hope of options for the consumer. It has been a disaster in California and I pray it does not spread. Let me explain.

On the surface, this looks like a simple job: People call or hail for a cab, I pick them up, and take them where there going. However, there is more too it then that. That person is only able to get  into my cab because of the business structure and climate that has been established by regulatory agencies. Without them, it would be pure chaos. Uber and Lyft are determined to operate illegally in Hillsborough County and threaten the community as a whole. Chaos is just a nice way of putting it.

Beneath this simple picture of giving people rides, there are major concerns. There are issues of competition, meter rates, flat rates, free shuttle services, issuing permits (Uber Lyft have none), condition of vehicles, the background of drivers, the health and safety of the community as protected by the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission. Adequate insurance becomes a major concern. Even the interdepartmental cooperation between companies and the municipality during major events have worked for the communities advantage. There is no cooperation with the illegal ride share people.

In recent years, we have hosted a Super Bowl and a Republican Convention. The logistics of these events were worked out between the companies and the TPC. All of this aided the flow of the events. Eliminating the TPC or allowing Uber and Lyft to operate as outlaws would be detrimental to the community.

Yes, the commission does set limits on permits (as is done in other industries) It assures adequate numbers of cabs are on the streets and protects jobs. This number is based on population numbers and nothing else.

The taxi meter is there to protect the customer. It measures distance and time and the rate is established by Tallahassee. Therefore, tourist are not ripped off by "high-ball" rates from unlicensed cabs. (Uber calls it "surge pricing")The only flat rate is from the airport to downtown and the rate is clearly stated on a sticker in the cabs window (Lyft has no such sticker).

By only allowing late model cars that are inspected, the public is assured of safety. By requiring high limits of insurance, the public is protected if there is an accident. They will be compensated. The commission has taken care of that.

To be able to drive a taxi in Tampa you must pass a background investigation with law enforcement. You will be run on the FBI computer to verify identity and search for warrants. The public can rest assured that a dangerous criminal is not coming to their house at 5 am to pick up their family. With Uber and lyft, you have no assurance, only a smiling face on an app. Making a decision about who comes to your house based on that is foolish.

Lately there has been an issue of mechanical soundness and cleanliness of taxis in Tampa. This issue is overblown and based on hearsay from a source who has much to gain by allowing the outlaw companies to flourish. I assure you, our cabs are clean and are mechanically sound. They are inspected by the commission on a regular basses. And when the cab gets to old, it must be pulled off fleet by law.

Now I would like to address the very ugly nature of what is really behind Uber and Lyft - RACISM. If you get their app, you will see they are only hanging out in the hipster (white) and upscale areas. Hyde Park and downtown condos (white) are what they cheery pick. The taxi companies cannot cheery pick. We must, by law, serve all of the county 24/7/365. Got it. I cannot refuse to pick up someone because they are black. Uber and Lyft drivers routinely do this. In fact, the customers make decisions of what driver they want based on skin color. Do not try to tell me that does not happen.

Rubio at the Uber headquarters

What gets me is the "save the whales" types and anti "1%" will support Marco Rubio and his un-regulated business model for taxis. That's right? Check out his picture at their headquarters (they are campaign supporters). You did not know you were a tea party guy did you? Why transportation? Can you open a bar and sell liqueur without a license? I don't think so. I don't know what business you are in but if a competitor was kicking your ass, and you found out he was unlicensed! You would scream like a wounded banshee.

So as much as you want to believe you support liberal causes, understand supporting Lyft and Uber is anti jobs across the board. If they drove all taxi companies out of business the result would be a natural monopoly. Think Standard Oil. IBM. Think the Gilded Age. Then, you really would have your 1%. Brought to you by the 99% hipsters.