Members of the PTC:
I find your recent decision to require permits for FREE electric carts that transport people in the downtown and S. Tampa markets to be incredibly short-sighted and anti-business.
While I understand your position as a regulatory commission, within Special Act - Chapter 2001-299, Laws of Florida-the document that defines "taxicab" as: "any motor-driven vehicle, equipped with a taximeter, with a capacity for 9 or less passengers, including the driver, for the transportation of for hire passengers, which operates within Hillsborough County, but does not include sight-seeing cars or buses, streetcars, or motor buses operated pursuant to franchise." Words were bolded by me to show you where the carts should be excluded from your regulatory reach.
Further, I understand that the attorney for Yellow Cab addressed the Commission asking that the Electric Carts be regulated in the same way as cabs. While I will lightly touch on the fact that not only do these carts emit no emissions, tread lightly on our roads, promote historic sights in the downtown/S. Tampa area and provide a FREE service that has come in high-demand, I will not do so on your decision to punish an entrepreneur that is finding a way to create a better business than the gas-guzzling, emitting, and, might I add expensive cab industry (ever tried to ride a short distance in a yellow cab?).
Instead of finding a way to allow a progressive business to find it's way in a reviving downtown area--through setting boundaries, or making a small change to bring them into the regulatory fold--you decided to ban them, and let the strong arm of the cab industry affect your ability to encourage, even promote a better way forward for short-distance transit in Tampa.
Once again Tampa has shown it's disinterest in becoming a progressive city that promotes new technologies, ideas, businesses, and bows to those that may have a more entrenched, politically active role in our public policy.
I trust that in the coming weeks there will be a healthy discussion that quickly leads to a resolution that does not reward an industry that controls the market (monopoly?), charges exorbitant flat rates for short trips, and produces an exorbitant amount of emissions through idling and operation.
Electric carts should be welcomed in the downtown, Ybor City and South Tampa areas. They create an excitement in visitors to the city and gives citizens that want a more responsible alternative to a cab ride. The offer an option for people thinking about a short-trip from one business to another, and even help people reach the TECO trolley and parking locations.
Please do the right thing and be the solution, not the dead end.
Respectfully,
**E-mail the PTC here.
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