Nashville's Sedan Drivers Fight City Effort To Run Them Off the Road

Until 2010, sedan and independent limo services were an affordable alternative to taxicabs. A trip to the airport only cost $25. But in June 2010, the Metropolitan County Council passed a series of anti-competitive regulations requested by the Tennessee Livery Association-a trade group formed by expensive limousine companies. These regulations force sedan and independent limo companies to increase their fares to $45 minimum.

The regulations also prohibit limo and sedan companies from using leased vehicles, require them to dispatch only from their place of business, require them to wait a minimum of 15 minutes before picking up a customer and forbid them from parking or waiting for customers at hotels or bars. And, in January 2012, companies will have to take all vehicles off the road if they are more than seven years old for a sedan or SUV or more than ten years old for a limousine.

These regulations have nothing to do with public safety. Nashville could have limited its requirements to those regulations that are designed to genuinely protect the public's health and safety, such as requiring insured and inspected vehicles, and driver background checks, but instead, Nashville is stooping to economic protectionism to put affordable car services out of business in favor of more expensive services that happen to have more political power. Many Nashville residents who regularly use limos and sedans will be forced to spend twice as much money for exactly the same service and hard-working sedan drivers will be driven out of business.

On April 20, 2011, the Institute for Justice teamed up with three Nashville entrepreneurs and filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee to vindicate the right of Nashville's limo and sedan operators to earn an honest living free from excessive government regulation.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• IJ
• Institute
• for
• Justice
• economic
• liberty
• nashville
• livery
• liveries
• limos
• limousines
• automobiles
• vehicle
• tourism
• Robert
• McNamara
• Wesley
• Hottot
• Chip
• Mellor
• taxi
• libertarian
• price controls
• economics

[swedishvolvo]

What is that status of the case? Did these limo drivers win?

[InstituteForJustice]

@swedishvolvo The case is still going on. 

[rdemanow]

Government has no business telling businesses what to charge for their products and services.

If $25- is *really* too little for a limo ride, then the business will fail.

[MrRUShure]

CRAZY,, How about charging the $45.00 and give all your customers a coupon worth lets say $20.00 off that way the cost is still $25.00.

[duck4gov]

Honestly, I think the only way you're going to win some of these battles is through civil disobedience. I say, continue to offer good customer service (showing up sooner than 15 minutes), and offer cheap rates (less than $45). Challenge them. Don't shut down, even with a court order. You're not alone. Remember, there's a fellow who's facing charges for refusing to shut down a dog grooming business. Yall aren't alone. The citizens outnumber the government. Remind them.

[MultiSharmuta]

Cab drivers are piece of garbage

[MultiSharmuta]

Fuck cab drivers

[marudoethiopia]

@alexancia5279 Could you still charge that amount if the minimum was abolished?

[alexancia5279]

I think this is crazy. I'm a young guy who started my own limousine business about 8 months ago in Nashville. The new Ordinances are making it very hard on me. I don't have so much an issue with Nashville wanting me to charge a min amount because I already charge over that amount, but it's all the government fee's and things of that nature! I can't hardly afford to get towards the top because Nashville is taking all the money I make away from me. This is not fair!

[swedishvolvo]

@InstituteForJustice I wish you all the best in your fight for justice! Please let us know what the outcome is once the case is over.