The Florida Intrastate Transportation Alliance

 To Fall Under The Regulatory Of The Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, The Vehicles  Motor  Carriers  Utilize  Must  Be  Defined Under Chapter  2001-299 Laws of Florida As A Public Vehicle 

Of the 3 types of  passenger transportation operations (limousine, taxicab & shuttle van) only one type of service is not provided any exemption from the definition of public vehicle under this locally created law backed by the Florida Legislature

Only one type service is deemed a public vehicle and falls under the regulatory of the HCPTC as soon as that vehicle crosses into Hillsborough regardless of travel origination point

Only type one service is mandated under law to obtain a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to enter Hillsborough County for the sole purpose of providing intercounty transportation 

That one type service is not the primary providers of prearranged transportation to & from interstate transportation hubs & operating within the stream of interstate commerce

This one type service is not the operations decreed by the United States Congress as not being the primary transportation to & from airports

This type service is however the primary competition against those operations attempting to monopolize the regional interstate transportation hubs in Tampa

The Limousine definition contained under Ch 2001-299 is the only one of the 3 definitions whose regulation is not tempered by any exemptions or the clear intent that the definition only applies to those "operating within the county" as in "intra-county" & therefore, limousines are deemed public vehicles & subject to HCPTC economic regulation as soon as they enter Hillsborough County 

Why?

For the same reasons that the HCPTC has raised operating costs by imposing minimum insurance liability on luxury sedans 3 times that of taxicabs & 15 passenger vans

For the same reason that the HCPTC has raised operating costs through preventing the primary interstate hub ground transportation services from utilizing moderate priced vehicles

For the same reason that the only minimum pricing imposed on public vehicles is on the limousine services whcih creates an 'economic protection zone' around the airport for the Hillsborough Taxicabs

Tampa Airport's Protect The Revenue Stream Scam 

The Tampa Airport Has Two Types Of Ground Transportation Paying For The Exclusive Right To Be Based At The Airport And Solicit Arriving Passengers

Share-A-Ride Vans & Taxicabs

Super Shuttle Has Obtained The Contract To Have Exclusive Rights To Be Based At TIA & Solicit Shuttle (Share-A-Ride) Transportation To Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas And Hernando Counties

The Cost Paid To The Airport

$111k For Hillsborough Rights

$51k For Pasco/Hernando Rights

$425k For Pinellas Rights

Or 3% Of The Value Of Goods Or Services

Why So Much More For Pinellas Compared To Other Counties?

Because Some 60% Of Travelers Passing Through TIA are Going To Or Coming From Pinellas County

Tampa Airport Has Decided Grandma Isn't Paying Enough For Her Regulatory Imposed "Luxury Transportation" From TIA To Hernando County So They Have Decided To Fatten Their Wallets By Imposing Another Layer Of Permitting On The Intercounty Motor Carriers The Travelers Rely Upon 

Tampa International Is Also Serviced By The 2 Tampa Taxi Cartel Whose Cabbies Want A Piece Of The Out-Of-County Action That Limousine Sedans Are Providing

The More Passengers Super Shuttle Transports

The More Money Tampa Airport Pockets

• Raise Operating Costs That Drive Mom & Pop Limo Operations Out Of Business
• Protect The Revenue Stream Of Contracted Transportation Services At The Expense Of Consumers

• Economically Raise The Costs Limo Services Must        Charge Customers Through Additional Permitting Fees
•  Decrease Competition
• Increase Revenue For Super Shuttle
• Increase Revenue For The Airport

Restriction Of Trade

 Anti-Trust Collusion

Government Sponsored RICO! 

Chapter 2001-299 Laws of Florida

Definitions of Public Vehicles

LIMOUSINE

any motor vehicle for hire not equipped with a taximeter, with a capacity for 15 passengers or less, including the driver

TAXICAB

any motor-driven vehicle, equipped with a taximeter, with a capacity for 9 or less passengers, including the driver, for the transportation of for hire passengers, which operates within Hillsborough County, but does not include sight-seeing cars or buses, streetcars, or motor buses operated pursuant to franchise

VAN

any motor-driven vehicle with a capacity of 10 to 15 passengers, including the driver, for the transportation of for hire passengers, which operates within the county* but does not include sight-seeing cars and buses, streetcars, motor buses operated pursuant to franchise or courtesy vans, and limousines not for hire

 *the common definition of "operating within" any geographical area is "intra" or as in this case, "intra-county". Based on such, why does the HCPTC require nonpublic sector buses entering Hillsborough for the sole purpose of loading passengers for "intercounty" transit to obtain licensing when such vehicles do not fall under the definition of "Public Vehicles"?

Under the HCPTC's interpretation of the law, transporting folks from Sarasota to TIA is not deemed "operating within the county" but meeting the same folks at TIA for transport back to Sarasota now falls under the "operating within the county" definition.   

FACT

Based on the wording of law, a Pinellas taxicab operating as a "sight seeing business" can enter Tampa & load passengers for a "sight-seeing" tour & not fall under the definition of public vehicle or regulatory of the HCPTC yet a limousine operator providing same would be arrested & have his vehicle seized.