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Yellow Cab

Joe Henderson: Uber, Lyft here to stay – time to level the playing field with taxis

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

I have spent a lot of words arguing that Tampa and Hillsborough County should welcome the ride-share companies Uber and Lyft instead of fighting to preserve a monopoly that has been enjoyed by traditional cab companies. I still feel that way. However, if Uber and Lyft are allowed to operate the way they want, taxi companies should have a greater latitude to do the same – lest the free market put them out of business. That led to an exchange…

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Bob Buckhorn, others call Hillsborough PTC to reject rules that Uber, Lyft say could drive them out

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Two days before the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission looks to approve new regulations that representatives from ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft say could compel them to leave town, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and others in Hillsborough County’s business community had a simple message for them on Monday: Don’t do it. Specifically, they warned the agency not to approve new regulations approved by a subcommittee of the PTC last week that include a $7 minimum fare and a seven-minute wait time for…

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Ethics Commission dismisses Tampa cab owner’s complaint against Victor Crist

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Citing a “lack of legal sufficiency,” the Florida Commission on Ethics has dismissed a complaint made against Hillsborough Public Transportation Commissioner Chairman Victor Crist. The complaint was made by Louis Minardi, president of Yellow Cab Company of Tampa. He said that Crist had revealed a conflict of interest in his role as the chair of the PTC involving the current negotiations with the cab companies and transportation network companies Uber and Lyft. The claim specifically involved Crist’s wife, Angela, who works at…

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Hillsborough PTC’s Kyle Cockream to discuss plans to step down Wednesday

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commissioner executive director Kyle Cockream will reportedly discuss his plans to step down from the agency at Wednesday’s PTC meeting. A rumor circulating Monday was that Cockream was resigning, but Kyle Parks, a spokesman for the agency, says that isn’t accurate. He says that Cockream has been speaking with Hillsborough PTC Chair Victor Crist about retiring “for months.” Cockream’s decision comes on the same day that FloridaPolitics.com reported that Cockream spent two days last week speaking to Palm Beach…

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Florida House Committee approves Hillsborough ridesharing bill

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

A local bill (HB 1439) to regulate ridesharing companies in Hillsborough County failed to earn unanimous approval from the entire local delegation late last year, but it sailed through the House Local Government Affairs Subcommittee on Monday morning in Tallahassee. Tampa Republican Dana Young told the committee that the legislation was “substantially similar” to the major ridesharing bill sponsored by Fort Walton Beach Republican Matt Gaetz that passed the entire House overwhelmingly last week. That measure includes provisions addressing background checks and insurance…

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HART committee approves contract for Yellow Cab to provide same-day service for paratransit riders

in The Bay and the 'Burg/Top Headlines by

A subcommittee with the Hillsborough Area Transit Authority (HART) has approved a contract with Yellow Cab Company of Tampa to provide same-day rides for riders who use their paratransit HARTPlus program that service those with disabilities. Currently, those riders must call a day in advance for such service. Greg Brackin, director of Operations and Support and ADA officer, informed HART’s Finance, Governance, and Administration Committee on Monday that the such riders will continue to pay the $4 fee they currently are charged, but…

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