Faced with boondoggles of expensive high-speed rail to nowhere, bus drivers that go on strike, and a public transportation deep in debt and disorder living on unending tax subsidies, at least one Michigan legislator has an amazing idea:
Let's give the free market a try!
The Detroit News: Bill encourages return of jitneys
On Tuesday, state Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, introduced a measure (HB 5724) that would prohibit cities from banning the establishment or use of jitneys as a means of public transportation.It would also prohibit cities from imposing regulations on jitneys that aren't imposed on privately owned vehicles, forcing operators to buy a franchise or slapping them with a surety bond.
You'll note that Jitneys, private transportation vehicles were originally banned because they were too competitive with established interests:
Jitneys have been illegal in Detroit since back in the 1920s when they were considered competition for taxis, buses and the street car system.
Certainly a step in the right direction, and I hope Rep McMillin's bill passes so the free market can try to fix where the government-imposed solution has failed. Instead of throwing yet more taxpayer dollars at a failed public system, might as well try letting entrepreneurs give it a go.
2 comments:
But if they allow just anyone to operate a conveyance, all the barriers to entry of that market segment would be removed.
Established taxi operators could go out of business. What about safety? What about the Children?
The Statists must be apoplectic at the thought of the free market possibly invading what they thought was their turf.
The Donald;
Yep, now even in the comments to the linked-to article, the average statist is having a coronary over the idea that private vans might legally operate on our roads delivering passengers for filthy lucre.
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