My complaint to the PUC regarding the New Years Eve Taxi Cab Fare Scam perpetrated by Penn Central Taxi has come to an anti-climactic conclusion, it seems.

I filed my complaint with the Pennsylvania Utility Commission on January 3, 2008- forty-eight hours after the incident occurred.

And the first big problem I have with the outcome is the apparent lack of credibility from the PUC itself. The Taxi Complaint Page CLEARLY states that “We will contact you by phone or by e-mail within 15 business days.”

I got my reply yesterday- February 4.Thirty two days later. (Or seventeen days late)

And the response I got from the PUC?

Pathetic.

Here’s what the email from Alan Taylor with the PUC says (copied and pasted, mind you)

Hi Mike, I investigated your complaint. Penn Central Taxi has fired the dispatcher , that was working the night , you called for a taxi. They had several problems with this person. I just wanted you to know that I followed up on your complaint. – Alan

Hi Alan, thanks for, your reply, to my concern, I’m not happy with, your efforts.

Alan also called me yesterday afternoon- but didn’t leave a voicemail.

I did, however, return the call and here’s the info he gave me over the phone.

The PUC that I contacted covers four counties and they are WAY understaffed.

The owners of Penn Central Taxi are currently IN PRISON for reasons he could not give me.

No fines or punishment has been administered to Penn Central Taxi.

So the questions I have after all of this are as follows:

Why do we have a PUC if they are understaffed and unable to effectively protect the consumer?

Why is Penn Central Taxi still able to operate while the owners of the business are in prison?

My email reply to them is as follows- we’ll see what happens next…

Alan-

Thanks for getting back to me- though I can’t say I’m completely satisfied with the outcome.

Please call me when you have a moment-

Thanks-