Taxi Industry offers up "alternative" to Uber, Lyft

Source: https://www.videezy.com/free-video/taxi

Update: Later on the same day as writing this, the ministry of transportation released their report; saying they would evaluate introducing ride-hailing by Fall 2019 (about 18 months away). read the press release here.

The Province (newspaper) released today an exclusive that the taxi industry in BC is pushing the government for an alternative to Uber and Lyft. This alternative is a "made in BC solution", which allows British Columbians to have a ride share service (Kater), which operates at taxi prices.

The article can be found here.

I will attempt to keep my sarcasm to a minimum.

Here in BC, many people want Uber and Lyft to be present as this will increase competition in the industry and thus help lower the price of requesting a ride (taxi or otherwise). The taxi industry is clearly against this because it will severely erode their monopoly-level profits which they have been able to hold on to for so long. Case in point, since the introduction of Uber the price of a taxi medallion in NYC has collapsed from a height of $1.3 million to just under $200,000 ... we can infer that if individuals were willing to spend $1.3 million for the right to operate a taxi, the benefit received must have been at least equivalent if not more.

The comedy is that based off of the document presented, their view seems to be that we would just like a more convenient way to hail our taxi's (via app lets say) ... Thus by introducing this new hailing method and service (at current taxi rates), they satisfy the problem while maintaining their extra normal profits.

We do not just want an easier way to request a ride. we want to dismantle the ridiculous market power that the taxi-industry has been able to carve out for itself, introduce competition to the market, allowing market forces to determine the price of a ride and the service provided.

To be honest I was standing in line to buy coffee as I read this article. I had to do everything I could to keep myself from laughing. Does the taxi-industry seriously believe this is a legitimate proposal to satisfy our demands? Or are they staring down the barrel and offering any last-ditch effort they can to save themselves.

what are your thoughts? feel free to comment below.