Posted on 05/12/2012 3:01:34 PM PDT by wewillnotcomply
The following is a story from Crony Chronicles, if you want similar stories updated daily visit here:
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Our story begins with two entrepreneurial women in Williston, North Dakota, who noticed that there was a shortage of cabs in their town because of the recent oil boom in the area. They decided to start two small shuttle services, with some service for locals. As the Williston Herald reported on April 2nd:
“We initially intended to do the shuttle service, but until that really gets built up and people are aware, if people need rides home, we’re giving them rides home. We’re not charging anything, but we do accept gratuities. We tell everybody that gets in exactly that,” Malladi said.They said there is a huge need for taxi services in the area.
It sounds like a story of two women who saw a need in their community and tried to fill it.
However, the two women hit a snag. They were ticketed for "operating an unlicensed taxi service." This surprised them, since they weren't yet charging fares, but they decided to get a taxi license anyways. They paid a fee, had their vehicle inspected, and were then denied a license by the city - and according to the women - without explanation. Considering there is only one taxi service in town, why would they not allow these women to operate their business? SayAnythingBlog, a blog in North Dakota, has speculated about their reasons:
Malladi said that other cab services aside from her and her friends’ companies have filed to operate in the city but that they, too, have been denied... Is there an effort here to protect a taxi monopoly in Williston? I would hope not, but there seems to be no good reason why Malladi can’t get a taxi license, and city officials don’t seem to be willing to explain themselves.
The city might be protecting the existing taxi service by not issuing new licenses. Since this is difficult to know for certain, I will give this case one baloney, and hope that these two women are able to operate their new businesses soon:
Of course it could be run by 'rats.
According to John Stossel it costs $1,000,000 for a taxi license for one cab in NYC. THerefore no independent taxi drivers can operate there — only big companies. Maybe something like that is afoot in Williston. (pun intended)
This happens in big cities too, friendly businesses buying off local politicians to protect their turf.
Using government to destroy compeitors......how Democratic.
I recall reading somewhere about a person concerned with drunks on the road offering a free-ride-home-from-the-bars service on weekends and getting hammered by the local authority for operating a unlicensed taxi service.
My brother and I were cobnsidering starting a small cab service in a rural area where we live...Insurance would run $20,000 per cab per annum....
The lawyers and insurance liability chief reason for this in an area with a county which is 20 miles wide and 40 miles long and a population total of 5700...
There are no barriers to starting a small business in the USSA. Sarcasm off.
The licensing of taxi cabs in Williston, ND does what? Do they inspect? Are the driver’s certified somehow? Is the public made safer? I doubt it very seriously.
As for Williston being a town you can walk across easily as someone mentioned... who cares? If the demand is there and unfilled it should be.
Wiliston is not to big to walk across.
¿¿?????????
It’s big enough and it’s made worse by the traffic moving thru it.
Many many many 18 wheelers, myself included.
I've been there but not lately. A single Taxi franchise for any gov't organization is bogus.
Additional competition is obviously warranted.
Able bodied peeps should not need a Taxi in Williston if they really need to transport themselves.
C’mon Williston, You’re part of the North Dakota miracle. The nation is watching. Get things done and full speed ahead. Frontier spirit. Don’t be Califonia or New York City with the petty bureaucracy and cronyism.
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