Fragmented Industry
Over previous couple days some fascinating revealing observations have emerged:
The brand new category of proprietors and motorists going into the business here don't even deserve to get called Taxi Drivers. Because no one else would allow them to generate many of these drivers own their very own cabs.
In NYC they attempted to unify to battle Giuliani, and really did astonishingly good in such a brief time, however there were still sections and things got rolling too late.
... the potential of the business depends upon business people with cab experience making the comitment to develop strong businesses run with professional drivers who place the client first.
These observations aren't new revelations. Each within their particular way, each within their particular words, several are expressing similar concerns over previous 2 1/2 years of TAXI-L's existence. The taxi industry does need change the best way to see this is though lichfield airport taxis.
For we not have a business concentrating all its focus to the paying customer within the rear seat, a direct effect of the rental / IC environment. As John Lanigan so clearly-defined for all, the business is now 3 independent businesses, each pursuing different marketplaces, each focusing attention elsewhere in drastically different opposing directions.
Bruce Schaller added another bit of evidence helping expose ever clearer the results of the rental / IC environment rising from regulatory inattention in antiquity.
He's currently under stress before he is rolled an inch, whenever a driver pays in advance funds for the usage of the taxi cab. Under such stress, it's no surprise that cab-drivers are universally condemned by the media and perceived by everyone as being essentially a business out-of control, populated by rag-tag rabble rousers. It was very revealing, including more signs exposing the horrors of the scenario.
Regardless of that Mayor Guilliani broke basic civil rights, he essentially has public support for his actions. From the serious of occasions, which by the way are going to be duplicated in Philadelphia, I understand taxi drivers will appear ever more downtrodden, as well as the rental / IC environment ever more firmly imbedded.
It's no secret that business leaders are firmly committed to preservation of the independent contractor position. A very well-funded lobby group is at work for several years, very efficiently ensuring preservation of the basically bad surroundings. That it's legal doesn't always make it right.
Lessee motorists cannot ever expect to efficiently fight this scenario. Preservation of the IC position ensures that lessee drivers will remain completely disorganized, divisiveness nourished, and unable to actually mount a successful logical business wide reorganization.
They actually do not want to. Their earnings are almost assured regardless of the degree of service supplied to the paying passenger, and by a constant oversupply of driver candidates, v far-away lands, ready to drive a taxi as a final vain act of despair.
It's no surprise whatsoever that the general people and media have grown to see the business as an employer of last-resort. The inhabitants of seasoned, professional career minded motorists is dwindling inexorably, adding to the notion. The days of getting a cab because its hip are fast evaporating. All for a direct effect of nutrition and preservation of the rental / IC environment.
The number of worried lease operators available can't expect to oppose the powerful momentum of the present scenario.
Via an InterNet dialogue 1 June 1998
