The folks at the North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law have are taking a look at excessive regulation of taxicabs by North Carolina cities and towns and the impact of those regulations on a person’s ability to make a living. In this paper NCICL looks at High Point’s requirements as an example and concludes the following:

Excessive regulations stifle entrepreneurship, drive up the cost of services and goods for consumers, and frequently violate constitutional guarantees. Taxicab regulations are no different. Using High Point’s taxicab regulations as an example, this paper highlights both the commonsense absurdity and the constitutional flaws of excessive regulation. In the months and years to come, regulatory reform at the state and local level can ensure economic liberty for small businesses while protecting public safety and complying with the Constitution.