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Fine, but the concept is out in the world now. The cities should be able to replicate the concept, compete and leverage their strengths the same way any for pro

• twblalock 8y ago
  If the private market provides a service at a fair price, and consumers like it, why should the city try to duplicate it? It would be a waste of taxpayer money for the city government to try to clone a business that is doing just fine already.
  • kbos87 8y ago
    Why draw an artificial line between cities and private markets? Innovation isn’t the exclusive domain of for profit companies. Part of the reason why we end up in these situations where public utilities are in such an embarrassing state is that we don’t expect or allow them to innovate, even down what is now a well proven pathway.
    • twblalock 8y ago
      It's not an artificial line because of stuff like this, which you mentioned: > specially zoned drop off, pick up, and lane privileges that Uber and Lyft don’t get access to There are clear differences between the state and private businesses. The state can make laws to prevent private businesses from competing with it, can grant monopolies, etc. The state is not operated for profit, and the profit motive is the only reason things like Uber and Lyft exist -- the state never would have thought to create something like that.