Google buses vs. San Fran govt.

23 Jan, 2014 by John Seiler

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You would think San Francisco’s government would applaud Google for the company’s private buses, which whisk employees around the city. The buses reduce congestion and pollution in the City on the Bay, two big goals of the city government.

When you go to S.F., you notice that all the cabs are required to be low-emission vehicles, such as hybrids.

But government monopolies don’t like competition. The Chronicle reports:

“San Francisco’s transportation agency on Tuesday imposed fees and restrictions on Google buses and other corporate commuter shuttles, but the move is unlikely to stop the protests or quell the animosity fueled by the sleek private buses.

“The Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors voted 5-0 with one member absent to charge the corporate shuttles a fee of $1 per day per stop, prevent them from using some of the busiest Muni bus stops and require them to yield to public transit vehicles.”

What they ought to do is privatize the MTA, while allowing competition from any competing bus companies. But then that would eliminate the perks and power of being government bureaucrats.

As Dr. Ray Stanz says in “Ghostbusters”:

“I’ve worked in the private sector. They expect results.”