3 ms·

There are many good reasons to licence taxi(driver)s, and cap their number. For example: - to keep traffic down - to ensure a minimum standard of vehicle - t

by fergie 9y ago

There are many good reasons to licence taxi(driver)s, and cap their number. For example: - to keep traffic down - to ensure a minimum standard of vehicle - to ensure safe, well-trained and responsible taxi drivers. - to ensure a fair level of income - etc. However the main problem with the medallion system is that they can be traded, speculated on, and used to extract "rent" from workers further down the chain. This benefits nobody. Surely there could be a happy middle way between the libertarian nightmare, banned-in-half-of-Europe Uber model; and the old-skool union cartel medallion model.

chrischen 9y ago
The city should auction off the licenses annually. Still rent-seeking, but at least the rent seeking is the city/government.
zip1234 9y ago
I agree that those are reasons for the INTENT behind regulating/licensing taxis. Certainly in the past those things may have been more important. However, with the improved access to information that people now have through their phones it seems a lot less necessary. - to keep traffic down I don't know if limiting taxis actually ends up limiting cars, but limiting cars is certainly the definition of keeping traffic down. - to ensure a minimum standard of vehicle I've actually been surprised but the people driving Uber X usually have nicer vehicles than most taxis I have taken. - to ensure safe, well-trained and responsible taxi drivers. Licensing drivers provides responsible taxi drivers? Yes, tell that to the people that have to pay cash because the credit card machine is 'broken'. - to ensure a fair level of income As far as the fair level of income, taxi companies are taking their cut. How much do the drivers actually end up with?
- MrFantastic 9y ago
  In big cities, parking the cars is the major problem. Parking spaces cost $1500+/mo
spacehome 9y ago
None of your reasons besides keeping traffic down necessitate restricting the number of licenses. And a "fair" wage will be determined by the market.
- 345655433 9y ago
  No, the market will determine an efficient wage, not a fair one. The efficient wage often means the cost of someone who doesn't pay tax or insurance, sleeps in his car or in a dosshouse, parks on residential streets near airports, littering them with food wrappers and bottles of piss, and takes coke, meth or qat to work longer shifts in the undermaintained car he rents from the mafia. In this case medallions are a (bad) way of enforcing all the other types of regulation which are necessary.
- fergie 9y ago
  Nope and nope. A guild of taxi drivers prevents a "race to the bottom", which does, in fact lead to the benefits I describe. Its not an issue of "fair" wages (although I did use that word), its an issue of _good_ wages. If you want a decent service, you have to attract good providers by paying decent money (and its here that Ubernomics falls down).

by fergie 9y ago

chrischen 9y ago

The city should auction off the licenses annually. Still rent-seeking, but at least the rent seeking is the city/government.

zip1234 9y ago

I agree that those are reasons for the INTENT behind regulating/licensing taxis. Certainly in the past those things may have been more important. However, with the improved access to information that people now have through their phones it seems a lot less necessary. - to keep traffic down I don't know if limiting taxis actually ends up limiting cars, but limiting cars is certainly the definition of keeping traffic down. - to ensure a minimum standard of vehicle I've actually been surprised but the people driving Uber X usually have nicer vehicles than most taxis I have taken. - to ensure safe, well-trained and responsible taxi drivers. Licensing drivers provides responsible taxi drivers? Yes, tell that to the people that have to pay cash because the credit card machine is 'broken'. - to ensure a fair level of income As far as the fair level of income, taxi companies are taking their cut. How much do the drivers actually end up with?

MrFantastic 9y ago
In big cities, parking the cars is the major problem. Parking spaces cost $1500+/mo

spacehome 9y ago

None of your reasons besides keeping traffic down necessitate restricting the number of licenses. And a "fair" wage will be determined by the market.

345655433 9y ago
No, the market will determine an efficient wage, not a fair one. The efficient wage often means the cost of someone who doesn't pay tax or insurance, sleeps in his car or in a dosshouse, parks on residential streets near airports, littering them with food wrappers and bottles of piss, and takes coke, meth or qat to work longer shifts in the undermaintained car he rents from the mafia. In this case medallions are a (bad) way of enforcing all the other types of regulation which are necessary.
fergie 9y ago
Nope and nope. A guild of taxi drivers prevents a "race to the bottom", which does, in fact lead to the benefits I describe. Its not an issue of "fair" wages (although I did use that word), its an issue of _good_ wages. If you want a decent service, you have to attract good providers by paying decent money (and its here that Ubernomics falls down).