Greenies Hamstrung by Bureaucracy

September 3rd, 2007 | by Craig |

So, in Missoula (surprise, surprise), there is a couple who wants to start a taxi servicue using only Priuses.

Let me say, “Bully for them!” This is capitalism at it’s finest. There is a demand, and some entrepreneurs are moving to fill it.

But wait! There’s a snag!

Who is it? Big Oil? Nasty Neocons? Tree-Hating-Oil-Drinking-Gas-Pissing Republicans?

No, it would be your neighborhood Public Service Commision. Watching out for the public interest and all.

Here is the paragraph that slays me:

To be approved, an applicant must show that there is a public need, that existing transportation services cannot meet the need, that the applicant is capable of providing the service, and that providing the service will not harm existing businesses.

Sounds more like a protection racket to me.

Personally, I hope that they do get their business of the ground. Something tells me it would go over rather swimmingly. Heck, it might go over so swimmingly that the incumbent company might switch their fleet over to meet the demand.

Let the market work, and good things can happen.

  1. 2 Responses to “Greenies Hamstrung by Bureaucracy”

  2. By GiftShoppeGuy on Sep 3, 2007 | Reply

    So the two hospitals in Missoula each have their own lifeflight helicopters and they won’t let the greenies in with a hybrid taxi service? Sort of blows someones competition excuse right out of the water.
    Awe, what a world… seems to me that what’s good for the goose should be good for the gander too…

  3. By moorcat on Sep 4, 2007 | Reply

    This is one case where I would have to agree - let the market decide… There are down sides to being picked up in Prius - not the least of which is the lack of room in the vehicle - but what the commission is doing is wrong. The commission is forcing the public to accept a monopoly service (to the financial gain of that service) and is preventing any kind of competition. What makes this worse is that the protected company is using the new idea while standing behind the shield of the Utilities Commission. This stinks like last weeks meatloaf…

Post a Comment