[In Defense of United Paulding Taxi]

Replacing ten year and older taxi cabs

 

The city of Dallas has mandated that taxi cabs that pick up customers in the city limits be no older than ten years

 

If a taxi company’s vehicles are unsightly, dirty, or prone to breakdowns, customers will take their business someplace else.

 

Also, successful business managers in all sectors constantly monitor expenses. If a piece of equipment frequently needs repairs, it will be replaced if better equipment is available. This is Business Management 201.

 

If a taxi is operable, reliable, well maintained and is kept clean both inside and out, it makes business sense to keep it in service.

 

Conservative politicians on all levels fret and wail about the evils of government intrusion, and how they must remove the barriers that are placed in the way of small businesses. But here, deep in the heart of a very red state, the story of United Paulding Taxi shows that the politicians speak with forked tongue’.

[In Defense of United Paulding Taxi]

This is a supplement to the 28 Apr 2014 post: ‘Paulding County’s only taxi company is under attack.’

 

On his 29 Apr 2014 post, ‘Concerned Pldg Resident’ alleged that ‘… the owners have a habit of not paying vendors or paying late and then trying to “cut deals”…’. United Paulding Taxi pays its bills and vendors promptly. It does not attempt to take advantage of any of its business partners.

 

On the 29 Apr 2014 post, ‘Nice Green’ says ‘I don’t see $100 as excessive when one county’s fee is $50.’ Paulding Taxi’s reply is that driving a cab is a low paying, difficult job and the hours are erratic. Therefore, it is hard to find reliable people to do this kind of work. When they learn that Paulding charges them $100 per year and Cobb charges them $50, many candidates simply refuse to take the job.

 

Regarding the age of taxi cabs, the Paulding.com member, ‘Nice Green’ and other participants do not see the maximum ten year age requirement as prohibitive. United Paulding Taxi does not have the business volume to afford discarding clean functional vehicles whose ages are ten years or older. Taxi cabs are United Paulding Taxi’s capital equipment. As such they receive regular maintenance and parts are replaced if they are even in borderline condition. Age-wise, this company’s taxis are younger than my family’s automobiles.

 

My wife bought her Toyota new in 1983 and I bought my truck new in 1986. Both are reliable and due to regular maintenance, they run good and start up without difficulty on cold mornings.

 

If our local officials are fearful that one of his taxis might break down and leave a customer stranded, the company has a procedure to summon a back-up taxi to take the customer to their destination.

 

In the spirit of America’s ‘can-do’ ethos, the owner of United Paulding Taxi began his business during the depth of the worst recession since the Great Depression. Through very hard work and perseverance he now has a small but thriving business and numerous customers who rely on him.

 

I call him my friend and it is a shame to see how our local politicians have put obstacles in his way. If he could somehow work his way into the local ‘old-boy’ club, the artificial headwinds would diminish, but that is unlikely. So I can only appeal to the sense of fair play that exists in most Americans.

 

If he is driven away, unlicensed ‘gypsy cabs’ will come in to the vacuum.

 

 

[Paulding County's only taxi company is under attack]

Our leaders are making it hard for our only licensed taxi company to stay in business.

 

United Paulding Taxi is a small company and it provides a needed service to the community. It takes residents to places such as medical clinics, doctors and Hartsfield airport. It has frequently taken people home who are too drunk to drive.

 

Paulding county officials and Dallas city officials have passed regulations that make it hard for this taxi company to stay in business.

 

1. Paulding officials enacted a requirement that taxi drivers must pay a $100 annual fee. This is $50 more than what Cobb County assesses its taxi drivers. Taxi drivers do not earn much money and many refuse to work here because Paulding’s fee is excessive.

 

1. Dallas officials recently required taxi company’s vehicles to be no older than ten years. This new law prevents United Paulding Taxi from picking up passengers in the city of Dallas because of the age of its cars.

 

Residents in Paulding County and the city of Dallas need a taxi service. I urge you to contact these officials and insist they stop making it hard for this small business to operate.

 

Paulding County Commission Chairman

David Austin 770-443-7550

 

Mayor, city of Dallas, Ga

Boyd L. Austin 770-443-8110 ext 1212

baustin@dallas-ga.gov

 

City Manager, city of Dallas, Ga

Kendall Smith 770-443-8110 ext 1205

ksmith@dallas-ga.gov