[analog31]

In a big city like NYC, taxis are part of an overall transportation system. Regulating them ensures that they are available where and when they are expected to be. People plan their activities around the functioning of that system.

Naturally, a different system might work better or worse. A worse outcome would be more people taking their own cars into the city because they need or want quick access to a vehicle.

Regulating the number of cabs probably helps deal with traffic congestion, and also makes it potentially possible for drivers to earn a living wage. However, I can see where on-call cars are a different situation because they would serve a different purpose.

[icebraining]

Regulating them ensures that they are available where and when they are expected to be.

But does it really? A study[1] from 2000 shows that the availability is not that great in NYC. Any why should it be, if the regulations cap their number?

Regulating the number of cabs probably helps deal with traffic congestion, and also makes it potentially possible for drivers to earn a living wage.

Why, if most drivers can't afford the medallions and end up having to work for the few that can? In fact, the same study shows that as industry revenue grows, the wages don't follow.

Frankly, this is typical of regulations as they're implemented in the US and other countries (including mine). It's the Bootleggers and Baptists all around, which mostly end up feeding the capitalists at the expense of lower classes.

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/17/nyregion/riders-know-study...

[pmorici]

"Regulating them ensures that they are available where and when they are expected to be."

Do you actually believe that? Because I don't see how it could possibly be true. Uber does a better job of providing cars when and where they're needed than any other cab company I've ever seen. Not only to they make it easy for drivers to work part time to accommodate higher demand during peak hours they also provide service to areas of cites where taxi drivers flat out refuse to go despite their supposed regulated status to provide service to all parts of the city. I've talked to people who use Uber in Baltimore about it for example and before Uber they would routinely be stranded in bad parts of town or off the beaten path areas and the taxi dispatcher would literally laugh at them if they called for a pickup.

[analog31]

Note in response to responses: Admittedly my experience is limited to a few times that I've been in the more busy areas of Chicago and NYC. I'm certainly open to the idea of coming up with something better, and if an unregulated alternative works, bring it on!