When I was at school at Ole Miss (we won’t mention what year, but it was partially in this century), taxicabs were just non-existent. If you went to the bar that night you were either 1: walking home – opening yourself up for a “Public Drunk” arrest, or you 2. Drove drunk or with someone who was drunk, but willing to take the bite if they got pulled over. WHAT WERE WE THINKING!?! But more so, why didn’t the town or university do anything to help the inevitable?
I remember one time, I did the walk home and left my car on the Square. I did the right thing, right? So, I thought. Thankfully I didn’t get picked up for walking really buzzed but when I went back the next morning, my car had been towed. WHAT!? WHY? So, after calling the police department, finding out where they towed my car, they said they tow all cars left overnight and still there at 8am. I could not win for trying.
A few years later (AFTER I graduated… pffff) a trolley showed up in Oxford and a parents group from Ole Miss paid for its operation for a year. GENIUS! Someone got it. Then it stopped after that year because of funding.
Sometime after that, a lady named Sue started a small taxi company and the taxi era began. Praise Jesus.
Fast forward to now, we have more than 30 taxi companies, a sure enough Public Transportation System (OUT), I don’t know how many trolleys and private buses. My favorite is the Flying Tuk. Surely, you’ve seen it be-bopping around town, with its fun lights and no doors, and kids always having blast. Plus they offer the option to open a charge account, which parents love because it helps ensure their DC gets home safely. I think the only thing that could make it better would be if they played the TV show Cash Cab in it!
But in all seriousness, the taxi industry is still so new to Oxford, that regulations have only recently been put in place. I’m totally on board with adding more regulations to the City Ordinances for Taxi drivers. More to come folks but for now, Fly around in the Tuk.
