Removing a barrier

It's going to be far easier for new limousine companies to obtain their motor carrier licenses now that the state has reduced the number of hoops that applicants must jump through.

Some established limousine services insist that the more user-friendly licensing requirements by the state Public Utility Commission will hurt the 'small guys,' possibly forcing them off the road. Worse, the relaxed requirements will lead to customer-gouging 'gypsies,' giving the industry a black eye, they argue.

But the professionals who know their business and do it well aren't worried. Yes, they'll face more competition, but they also acknowledge that the public will benefit.

Under the former licensing procedure, an applicant's competency took a back seat to potential competition with another company. Among other things, newcomers had to prove a 'public demand or need' for their service; existing providers could challenge them.

So why did the PUC remove these onerous hurdles• Because the entry requirements did little to protect the public interest, Commissioner Terrance J. Fitzpatrick said.

What a refreshing concept. And just imagine if other state regulatory agencies opened similar windows of opportunity to free enterprise and open markets instead of striving to lock them shut.