Mercy on an Orphan?

Mile High fights back ...

Readers may remember, when Metro Taxi argued against allowing Mile High Cab's owner/operators from starting their own cab business in Denver -- with lower fares and better service -- they claimed Denver already had too many cabs on the road.

Artist's Representation: Mile High Cab attorney
Tom Russell at work in the courtroom

Then it turns Metro Taxi admitted they didn't know how many drivers they had on the road at any one time, admitting that many of their drivers may be violating, or have violated, the so-called "80-in-8" rule against drivers spending more than 80 hours behind the wheel in eight days.  Yellow Cab also has admitted to the same charges.

So if the honchos at Metro Taxi believe there are enough cabs on the road already, maybe it's because they have legions of sleepy, overworked drivers out there struggling to pay their weekly lease rate.  Yellow Cabs adds to the oversupply, but they have had the decency not to argue that there are too many cabs--perhaps because Yellow Cab has asked the PUC to give them another 150 cabs!

Mile High Cab's attorney, Tom Russell, has filed a motion with the Public Utilities Commission asking the Commissioners to disregard all the testimony that there are too many cabs on the street.  Either the companies opposing Mile High Cab don't know how many are on the road, or it's their own fault that they are out there.

As Russell concludes: "Like the young man who murders his parents and then pleads for mercy because he is an orphan, Metro Taxi should not benefit from its arguments that the taxi market is oversupplied when Metro Taxi has admitted not limiting its drivers' hours and therefor has placed the equivalent of additional taxis on the road."

He adds: "Likewise, Mile High Cab should not be denied entry into the market because Yellow Cab of Colorado has also violated hours-of-service limitations during the time when Metro Taxi has been claming that there are too many taxis on the road ... Mile High Cab, Inc., prays the Commissioners to disregard theis evidence as the fruit of misrepresentation."