Abolish Public Transportation board

Editorial

Of Florida's 67 counties, Hillsborough is the only one to have a special authority to regulate ambulances, taxis, limousines, tow trucks and other vehicles for hire. The distinction might be justified if the Public Transportation Commission provided the county superior oversight.

But the panel, created by the Legislature, has been plagued by scandal, inflated costs and political shenanigans for years. Its primary achievement has been to curtail competition.

Hillsborough Sen. Ronda Storms, who served on the PTC while a county commissioner, rightly believes its oversight duties could be more efficiently - and fairly - handled by county government.

Her proposal to eliminate the transportation commission's special status merits support. Unlike the independent City-County Planning Commission, which makes recommendations to local governments and maintains strict ethical policies, there is little accountability at the Public Transportation Commission.

The PTC - whose board includes three county commissioners, two city council members and representatives from Temple Terrace and Plant City - has been long been embroiled in controversy. Former Tampa City Councilman Ronnie Mason, while serving on the commission, voted to reject an application from an ambulance company and soon afterward submitted his own application to provide the service. It was approved.

While former county Commissioner Kevin White served as its chair, the PTC hired his campaign consultant as a lobbyist. And those seeking to launch new ventures complain they are frustrated because the PTC tends to protect existing transport businesses by limiting the number of permits it grants.

Earlier this year, after taxi companies complained, the commission shut down an electric vehicle service that provided free rides around downtown Tampa, generating revenue from advertisements and tips. Safety concerns were cited, so the PTC involvement was not unwarranted. But scant effort was made to address safety issues without eliminating the new business.

A similar situation is evident as the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay seeks to expand its ambulance service. Revenue from its ambulance operation partially funds the nonprofit organization, which helps people deal with sexual abuse, domestic violence, emotional distress, suicidal thoughts and other traumas.

The commission now prevents the center from transporting patients from one facility to another, which is generally covered by insurance and is therefore a lucrative business for ambulance companies. The center wants the restriction eliminated.

But other ambulance firms are fighting the request, though demand for facility-to-facility transport has increased. The PTC is scheduled to review the matter Wednesday, but why should the agency be deciding which company gets to do business anyway? As long as safety standards are met, why not let companies freely compete? Those with the best service will prevail.

As former Tampa City Councilman John Dingfelder, who served on the PTC and was perplexed by its restrictions, asks, "Isn't that what free enterprise is all about?" He supports Storms' effort.

Storms acknowledges oversight is needed. You don't want sex offenders driving cabs or people being transported in jalopies. But she says an advisory board of appointees could make recommendations to county commissioners.

Hillsborough officials have estimated taking on the added responsibility would moderately increase county costs, but if the fees charged transport companies now cover most of PTC costs, there is no reason it would not do the same for the county.

Storms' legislation does not abolish regulatory authority but only transfer it to the county, which could fashion whatever kind of structure it wanted.

As Storms points out, "Everybody else does this without a separate agency and their taxicabs are not driving off into the water."