Stay Classy San Diego

Last week, San Diego City Council voted 8-1 to abolish the limit of taxi permits provided to the public (previously capped at 933 taxicabs). The initiative, led by Councilwoman Marti Emerald, will positively affect taxi drivers by allowing entrepreneurial opportunities of forming their own taxi fleets. With an increase of new taxi drivers, lower prices and faster pickup times will overall benefit both consumers and the taxi industry. The new ruling in San Diego could pave the way for similar changes among cities to help taxi drivers better compete with loosely regulated ride-sharing services whom are regularly criticized for their lack of insurance coverage and fair business practices. San Diego City Council President Todd Gloria stated that the new ruling would likely not be a solution for fair competition between taxis and ride-sharing services and that legislation for lowering taxi fares might be considered in the near future.