Proposed Water Taxi

[Oldbear]

From my cruising experiences most cruiser like structured schedules...and that is how cruise ships are designed and ran by the crews. I think a structured water taxi on a set schedule would work good. Also as mentioned before, if he taxis made a few adjustments towards a more organized operation, they too could see an increase in revenues.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[DjDiverDan]

A complete laissez-faire attitude toward business by government is just as bad, IMO. People being what they are, they are always looking for means of leverage to tilt the economic table in their own direction; those with money are always more successful at doing that than are people without money, and the more money they have the more successful they are, irrespective of whether government is involved or not. There is no such thing as a free market.

I'm pretty sure I disagree with your statement that there is no such thing as a free market, but it really depends upon what you mean by that statement. If all you are saying is that there are always imperfections in every market, asymmetries of information, asymmetries of bargaining power, barriers to entry which limit complete competition, etc., etc., then I agree with you. But many people immediately jump to the conclusion that these imperfections in the market require a governmental solution, and that assumption implicitly assumes that government action will be guided by perfect information, which is insane, and directed by people who are not infected by the same self-serving incentives guiding private participants in the market, which is just ridiculous. Anybody who thinks that governmental intervention in the marketplace is motivated by a pure desire to benefit the public just isn't paying attention. If that were really the case, big corporations, labor unions, AARP, the AMA, industry organizations, and other groups wouldn't spend billions lobbying members of Congress, all looking for their own special deals. And anybody who believes that government bureaucrats who administer the regulatory state are smart enough, have sufficient information, and are not influenced by politically powerful interests looking to line their own pockets is just delusional. I'm not saying that government intervention isn't EVER necessary, but it really ought to be a last resort rather than the default option. The law of unintended consequences is a bitch. Just look at how badly PPACA (a/k/a Obamacare) has screwed up our health care system. Stop judging government actions by intentions, and start grading on the basis of actual results. 90+% of government interventions fail that test.

 

[cvchief]

those with money are always more successful at doing that than are people without money, and the more money they have the more successful they are, irrespective of whether government is involved or not. There is no such thing as a free market.

Really? Always? Bill Gates and Steve Jobs ring any bells? Couple of poor hippies and nerds vs IBM, Xerox, et all.

Bringing the argument full circle and avoiding thread lock, if another company was allowed to enter into the taxi business, would service quality and cost go up or down, you think? Not water, just regular taxis.

---------- Post added November 30th, 2013 at 03:39 PM ----------

It does seem like the island businesses would benefit greatly if there was a service that took the cruise passengers to downtown. If the taxi union is so against a water taxi because it eats their profits, why do they not just find a way to run and control it themselves?

Well, maybe some, but don't you figure most of the pod people who want to go downtown, go anyway?

The clear motivation is the loss of revenue. No individual can go downtown by cab for the price of this water taxi. Also water taxi money will go to the ferry company. Some may be paid to local employees, but assuredly less. Taxi car driver is a middle class job more or less. I am guessing the ticket taker and such on the ferry isn't. Also ALL the taxi money goes to island residents so that money cycles through the local economy. Even if the taxi union ran the ferry, there would, I think, be less money for them at the end of the day. Hence their strong objection. It will be interesting to see if they still have the political clout to kill it. If they don't it will be more interesting to see who else might come after the monopoly.

 

[ggunn]

Really? Always? Bill Gates and Steve Jobs ring any bells? Couple of poor hippies and nerds vs IBM, Xerox, et all.

Sure. They both (especially Gates) have broken through the obstacles and joined the other team. Them with the gold makes the rules. There are millions of people just as smart and hard working as those guys who have nothing to show for it.

 

[cvchief]

Sure. They both (especially Gates) have broken through the obstacles and joined the other team. Them with the gold makes the rules. There are millions of people just as smart and hard working as those guys who have nothing to show for it.

So you are saying they are still the rich getting richer because they are rich now? Even though they started from nothing to become super rich, they don't count as people without money succeeding?

How about:

Guy Laliberté: Was worth nothing, now billions.
John Paul DeJoria same thing
Ursula Burns
That Starbucks guy
Oprah for Heaven sake....
I can keep going.

Or are you saying that if anyone works as hard as any of them, they are entitled to success?

Like if you get in as a Coz taxi guy, you should be guaranteed middle class for life?

 

[Skittl1321]

Well, maybe some, but don't you figure most of the pod people who want to go downtown, go anyway?

I don't know if most do or not, but going to downtown isn't really a hot topic of conversation on cruise critic. It wasn't ever something we considered on our first trip, I saw so little that I guess I didn't realize there even was a downtown. Most shop in the area around the pier. Lots of conversation goes on about Nachi vs. Mr. Sanchos, Chankanaab snorkeling vs. Money Bar. I guess the bar hoppers go downtown, I've never paid much attention to where they are going, though bar hop is usually an excursion that picks you up. And I do think it is still less than half that venture on their own and don't do a ship sponsored excursion since the cruise companies have scared people into thinking it is unsafe to do otherwise.

 

[fishi]

I'm pretty sure I disagree with your statement that there is no such thing as a free market, but it really depends upon what you mean by that statement. If all you are saying is that there are always imperfections in every market, asymmetries of information, asymmetries of bargaining power, barriers to entry which limit complete competition, etc., etc., then I agree with you. But many people immediately jump to the conclusion that these imperfections in the market require a governmental solution, and that assumption implicitly assumes that government action will be guided by perfect information, which is insane, and directed by people who are not infected by the same self-serving incentives guiding private participants in the market, which is just ridiculous. Anybody who thinks that governmental intervention in the marketplace is motivated by a pure desire to benefit the public just isn't paying attention. If that were really the case, big corporations, labor unions, AARP, the AMA, industry organizations, and other groups wouldn't spend billions lobbying members of Congress, all looking for their own special deals. And anybody who believes that government bureaucrats who administer the regulatory state are smart enough, have sufficient information, and are not influenced by politically powerful interests looking to line their own pockets is just delusional. I'm not saying that government intervention isn't EVER necessary, but it really ought to be a last resort rather than the default option. The law of unintended consequences is a bitch. Just look at how badly PPACA (a/k/a Obamacare) has screwed up our health care system. Stop judging government actions by intentions, and start grading on the basis of actual results. 90+% of government interventions fail that test.

You mean like when they implemented TARP? You deregulate everything until you're teetering on a systemic failure, then you try to implemented some kind of troubled asset relief program? Or you let AIG sell all the credit default swaps they want, then you try to figure out some way to nationalize them to avoid another Lehman day. Is that what you mean by government stepping in as a last resort?

 

[cvchief]

Ugg... Now you are making it too hard to bring back to a taxi... wait.... I got it:

The taxi union is too big to fail!!

 

[gopbroek]

Perhaps the new Municipal President (mayor) will not be as beholden to the Taxi union as the last one, who I heard ran around with a runny nose and three bodyguards.

 

[flots am]

I don't know if most do or not, but going to downtown isn't really a hot topic of conversation on cruise critic. It wasn't ever something we considered on our first trip, I saw so little that I guess I didn't realize there even was a downtown. Most shop in the area around the pier. Lots of conversation goes on about Nachi vs. Mr. Sanchos, Chankanaab snorkeling vs. Money Bar. I guess the bar hoppers go downtown, I've never paid much attention to where they are going, though bar hop is usually an excursion that picks you up. And I do think it is still less than half that venture on their own and don't do a ship sponsored excursion since the cruise companies have scared people into thinking it is unsafe to do otherwise.

Downtown is awesome! Great restaurants just a block or two off the main drag and lots of fun shops!

Going to Coz and not going downtown is like going to the circus and standing outside the tent. (mercilessly stolen from Dave Barry).

The thing by the cruise ship pier is really depressing, unless you're looking for Mexican trinkets made in China.

flots.