Tampa Cabbie Makes Plea To Cap Limousine Permits

During the February 14, 2007 meeting of the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission (HCPTC), Tampa Cabbie Charles Smalling pleaded with the Commission to place a cap on limousine permits.

The HCPTC an Independent Special District created by the Florida Legislature for the purpose of regulating public vehicle operations within Hillsborough County has expanded the role to a statewide regulatory agency based on the interstate transportation hubs located in Tampa. Under threat of arrest and vehicle seizure, intrastate motor carriers utilizing limousines and small buses

must submit their business operations to the economic regulatory control of the HCPTC to facilitate entering Tampa to load their prearranged and/or chartered intercounty bound passengers.

Outlying counties have seen tremendous growth over the past several years and so has the demand for transportation commensurate with this population explosion. Tampa Taxi operations are seeking ways to garner a piece of this action by obtaining additional restrictions and force the traveling consumer arriving in Tampa to the utilize local taxi service for transport to final destination.

A self-proclaimed spokesperson for the Tampa Taxi Drivers, Mr. Smalling recently presented to the Commission a petition signed by taxi drivers to halt the licensing of intrastate motor carriers under pretense that these carriers are taking business away from the local businesses. This has prompted some of the Commissioner's to call for research of capping the licenses.

George Vallee of Airport Car Services countered Mr. Smalling's pleadings and bewildered the clueless Commissioners with a reminder that there are issues and ramifications that must be addressed when seeking to restrict intrastate motor carriers operating within the stream of interstate commerce.