[Vision2020] Taxi Service in Moscow

[Tom Hansen]

Notice to Pegasus Taxi Service . . .


Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown


On Aug 1, 2011, at 13:22, Janesta <janesta at gmail.com> wrote:

> Mr. Hudson, 
> 
> How does a wheel of Cougar Gold sound? It would be perfect with your whine.
> 
> I was trying to be polite, and not mention the cab company by name. However... Pegasus REEKS of cigarette smoke, the DRIVER"S ashtray was so full, crushed cigarettes were falling on the carpet, nicotine was practically dripping from the interior of the cab. In this day and age, smokers are used to restrictions on where and when they can smoke. 
> 
> A cab is sometimes the first impression one has of my beloved hometown. I would hope the City Council would also consider periodic anonymous cleanliness inspections, along with fingerprinting. My opinion as a citizen of Moscow no longer counts. However, as a regular 'snowbird' visitor, who will be using a cab daily during my 21 day stay? It won't be Pegasus I will be calling. 
> 
> There is no possible way for a customer to know in advance what condition the air is inside a cab prior to calling one.
> 
> Cheers!
> Janesta
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Aug 1, 2011 at 11:42 AM, Ron Force <rforce2003 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Well, here's one you probably don't want to use:
> 
> Moscow cab owner says smoking ban a bad idea
> 
> By David Johnson of the Tribune | Posted: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 12:00 am
> MOSCOW - George Hudson, owner of Pegasus Taxi of Moscow, has been picking up drunks and driving them home safely for three years.
> Now, after the city council passed a new taxicab licensing ordinance, Hudson says he'll lose business, and he predicts more inebriated drivers will get behind the wheel.
> This despite the ordinance having nothing to do with drinking.
> "From what I understand, they're going to pull our license if we let people smoke," Hudson, 53, said Tuesday. "So I'll probably lose my license."
> The ordinance, passed Monday night, bans taxicab passengers from smoking. But most of the intoxicated people he transports from bars in the early morning hours, Hudson said, are aching to light up, because the city banned smoking in local taverns.
> "They really want that cigarette when they step out of the bar."
> If he tells people they can't smoke, Hudson said, they're more likely to take their own vehicle. If he waits for people to finish a cigarette, he'll lose dollars because time is money.
> "If I have to wait for people to finish their cigarette, that's going to be more drunks out driving, because I can't pick up as many of them."
> There are four taxi companies and one limousine service operating in Moscow. All, except for Pegasus Taxi, have self-imposed bans on smoking. Hudson said he geared part of his business to bar patrons who smoke.
> "I don't mind if you take somebody else's cab," Hudson said of people who don't like the smell of smoke. "But I want to be the one who lets them smoke. It just makes more sense to me."
> Moscow Police Chief David Duke said the city has been working on the new taxicab ordinance for about six months. Most of the document has to do with vehicle safety issues and stricter background checks on drivers.
> "We decided to change some of the requirements for backgrounds, to do fingerprinting that we never did before," Duke said. "We had some convicted felons, but not for crimes against persons. Most were for crimes against property."
> Hudson said he supports the enhanced background checks and vehicle inspection provisions of the ordinance.
> "But it slows me down to wait and let somebody finish their cigarette. If they can jump in, smoke their cigarette on the way home, no problem."
> The ordinance allows drivers to smoke when they're in the cabs alone.
> "But some nights we don't get to stop for 12 hours. And there are times when I don't get five minutes in between picking people up and dropping them off," Hudson said. "So you're basically telling me I can't have a cigarette for 12 hours because somebody out there thinks it's bad."
> City Clerk Stephanie Kalasz said the ordinance will become effective, possibly within the next week, after being signed by Mayor Nancy Chaney and published in the newspaper.
> Councilor Tom Lamar spoke in favor of banning taxi drivers from smoking even when alone in cabs, while Councilor Sue Scott suggested smoking should be a matter for both drivers and passengers to decide.
> The ordinance states that prohibiting smoking "will promote health and safety" for both passengers and drivers. That, Hudson said, should be the concern of people involved, not government. Combined with the smoking ban in taverns, Hudson said the ban on smoking in taxis is little more than another example of government trying to fix what isn't broken and ultimately shifting problems elsewhere.
> ---
> Ron Force
> Moscow Idaho USA
> From: Janesta <janesta at gmail.com>
> To: vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 7:48 AM
> Subject: [Vision2020] Taxi Service in Moscow
> 
> Greetings,
>  
> I will be in Moscow for a couple of weeks, and will be using a taxi service,
> and would appreciated a recommendation for a clean taxi.
>  
> Are there any taxi's that don't smell like a well used ash tray?
>  
> Also, isn't a taxi service required to follow Idaho smoking regulations? If
> not, perhaps the city council can set some rules.
>  
> Thank you!
>  
> Janesta
> 
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> 
> 
> =======================================================
> List services made available by First Step Internet, 
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.   
>               http://www.fsr.net                       
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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