Peter Schorsch
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber; it’s also no secret that I am NOT a big fan of the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, a bully of a governmental entity applying 19th-century thinking to a 21st-century innovation.
The PTC’s blatant quest to stifle ridesharing while clinging to the outmoded taxi and limo industry has been as disgraceful as it is misguided. This should be the final nail in the coffin of the PTC, and, hopefully, the powers in Tallahassee will eliminate the PTC once and for all.
But there’s more involved here than just abolishing an outmoded, cumbersome and shady local commission. Ridesharing is a nationwide trend that extends far beyond just Hillsborough County — and the regulatory solution is one that should be addressed by state lawmakers.
Last week, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed into law statewide ridesharing legislation, making it the 38th state in the country to have a statewide framework in place. Florida is already several years behind in embracing ridesharing, and the sad PTC episode shows why it’s high time our Legislature adopted a uniform statewide set of regulations to encourage ridesharing throughout the Sunshine State.
The Hillsborough PTC’s Neanderthal attitude reminds me of the people who used to sell horse buggies — couldn’t believe anyone would fall for the scam of those newfangled horseless carriages. When times changed and proved them wrong, they were done. The taxi industry has behaved the same way, trying to ignore the inevitable. The PTC is a government entity that isn’t supposed to take sides, but it aligned itself squarely with the buggy salesmen.
If each of Florida’s 67 counties tried adopting its own approach to transportation network services, our state would be a hodgepodge of inconsistent regulations. Drivers wouldn’t be able to cross county lines without crashing into a new regulatory scheme, and passengers couldn’t be sure what they could get and where they could get it.
Some forward-thinking Florida legislators have filed bills that would eliminate this risk, by establishing a uniform set of reasonable statewide guidelines. The new rules would protect passengers while giving drivers and the ridesharing companies enough assurances that they would continue to serve the residents and tourists who enjoy their services.
Florida is one of just 12 states that do not have a statewide framework for ridesharing. Passage of this legislation would eliminate the confusing county-by-county patchwork of rules, creating an easier and more effective experience for passengers and drivers alike.
If the wisdom of that approach escapes you, I’ve got a horse and buggy I’d like to sell you.
