Ah, good times. I was a valet/bellhop for a downtown hotel back in my college days and both town car drivers and cabbies offered bribes/tips for an attempt to steer business to them. It was lots of fun and not even mildly cavalier and I can't recall a "fare" who got into a towncar when he didn't want to. Glad to see the City stepping in before things really get out of control.

I don't get it! Why aren't all these patrons using the Streetcar to get where they need to go?

Why is the city restricting competition and driving up our costs?

Thanks
JK

"Why is the city restricting competition and driving up our costs?

Thanks
JK"

Ha, this is nothing new..... Cable TV, garbage haulers, etc... I guess that old school capitalism with competition died around the same time liberal Repubnicants did.

Does anyone know the rationale behind the regulation? Isn't there some kind of prohibition on City involvement in free market competition. Say the commerce clause? Just don't seem riite.

It's not about restricting competition, Jim, it's about maintaining a level playing field.

Taxis are far more regulated than anyone (they can't refuse fares, for example) and it's unfair for anyone to "tip" their way to grabbing the most lucrative fares (and taking ONLY the best fares).

It's about everyone making a decent living, and having and maintaining safe and viable transportation choices.

ALAMO RENT-A-CAR, INC, v. SARASOTA-MANATEE AIRPORT 906 F.2d 516, (11th Cir. 1990)
The reservation requirement, however, does run afoul of the commerce clause. Although the burden on interstate commerce created by the reservation requirement is not great, we can discern no local purpose that the requirement is designed to serve, nor are "putative local benefits" proffered by the Authority. See Minnesota v. Clover Leaf Creamery Co., 449 U.S. 456, 101 S.Ct. 715, 728-29, 66 L.Ed.2d 659 (1981); Pike v. Bruce Church, Inc., 397 U.S. at 142, 90 S.Ct. at 847; Executive Town and Country Services, 789 F.2d at 1526-27.

Certainly all the future occupants of the convention center hotel will be thrilled to know they cannot legally take a town car unless they have planned at least 61 minutes ahead. Well, I guess they could take a horse-drawn carriage since those apparently aren't regulated...

Frank Dufay: It's not about restricting competition, Jim, it's about maintaining a level playing field.
JK: Don’t make me laugh - how about the city setting their rates? Is that a level playing field? Sounds like a sweet insider deal to me. The city doesn’t set food prices at the supermarket, why should they set taxi fares?

Frank Dufay: Taxis are far more regulated than anyone (they can't refuse fares, for example) and it's unfair for anyone to "tip" their way to grabbing the most lucrative fares (and taking ONLY the best fares).
JK: Maybe they are too regulated. Maybe we need to let them freely compete with town cars, limos, jitneys and Trimet. Only then will we get lower costs AND better service.

Frank Dufay: It's about everyone making a decent living,
JK: Why should the city guarantee any business a profit in the guise of “a decent living”. Should the city also guarantee a profit to Fred Meyer? Walmart? Homer Williams (oops, I forgot, they practically do!)

Frank Dufay: and having and maintaining safe and viable transportation choices.
JK: This is a completely separate issue as the airline’s stellar safety record, even when losing money, shows us.

Thanks
JK

I think the regulations are really about protecting the City's image. Got to make sure the innocent and defenseless visitors to our fair City are not taken advantage of by unscrupulous cabbies and predatory Town Car drivers.