HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

Sean Malone's "No Vans Land": How a Small Businessman Beat NYC's Public Transit Union

Views:877
@ReasonVids

"When you restrict someone like Hector from running his business, when you hit him with fines and prohibitions, and you give him all these restrictions" says Sean Malone, the Creative Media Director of the Charles Koch Institute, "you're not killing some big business. What you're doing, in this case, is harming immigrant guys."

Malone sat down with Nick Gillespie of ReasonTV to discuss his new online documentary, "No Vans Land." It tells the story of Hector Ricketts, a Jamaican immigrant who settled in New York City and started a commuter van service. Ricketts' vans catered to a neglected market: healthcare workers in the outer boroughs, far from Manhattan, who were underserved by public transportation. He offered fares that were lower than city buses, while receiving no subsidies from taxpayers.

As Ricketts' business grew, he came into conflict with the city. The metropolitan transit workers union perceived his vans as a threat to their livelihood. The politically powerful union pressured the city to crack down on the entire commuter van industry, imposing restrictions and fines that made it difficult to conduct business.

With time, tenacity, and the assistance of the Institute for Justice, a libertarian law firm, Ricketts was able to take on the city bureaucracy, and win the right to stay in business.

Malone continues to make documentaries about the struggles of small entrepreneurs. His next project champions entrepreneurs in the hair braiding profession, who've created jobs in Mississippi by eliminating arbitrary barriers to enter the field.

Go to http://reason.com/reasontv/2013/08/16/sean-malones-no-vans-land for downloadable versions and subscribe to ReasonTV's YouTube Channel to receive notifications when new material goes live.

Runs about 6:50.

Produced by Todd Krainin. Camera by Amanda Winkler and Krainin.

hector ricketts
,
new york city (city/town/village)
,
public transport (industry)
,
public unions
,
entrepreneurship (field of study)
,
reason (periodical)
,
libertarianism (school of thought)
,
institute for justice
,
chip mellor
,
nick gillespie (author)
,
todd krainin
,
charles koch
,
deregulation
    Thumbnail for Is High-Speed Rail A Fantasy? Adrian Moore and Wendell Cox Discuss CA's Biggest Boondoggle.27:05
    Is High-Speed Rail A Fantasy? Adrian Moore and Wendell Cox Discuss CA's Biggest Boondoggle.
    ReasonVids
    820 views
    Thumbnail for "We Need a Libertarian Che Guevara": Activist Starchild9:09
    "We Need a Libertarian Che Guevara": Activist Starchild
    ReasonVids
    787 views
    Thumbnail for Reason's Bob Poole on How to Fix America's Airports38:55
    Reason's Bob Poole on How to Fix America's Airports
    ReasonVids
    795 views
    Thumbnail for Stossel: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness4:04
    Stossel: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
    ReasonVids
    888 views
    Thumbnail for Rep. Thomas Massie on Turd Sandwiches, Govt Surveillance, IRS Scandals43:45
    Rep. Thomas Massie on Turd Sandwiches, Govt Surveillance, IRS Scandals
    ReasonVids
    898 views
    Thumbnail for 3 Reasons Not to Fund Art with Taxes2:51
    3 Reasons Not to Fund Art with Taxes
    ReasonVids
    913 views
    Thumbnail for In Order to Live: Yeonmi Park's North Korean Defector Story29:19
    In Order to Live: Yeonmi Park's North Korean Defector Story
    ReasonVids
    1016 views
    Thumbnail for Buzz Bowl I: Four Loko vs Joose1:27
    Buzz Bowl I: Four Loko vs Joose
    ReasonVids
    820 views
    Thumbnail for Green Lantern Corps vs Spider-Men5:26
    Green Lantern Corps vs Spider-Men
    memology101
    1293 views
    Thumbnail for Chris "Jesus" Ferguson Cutting Carrots at Reason0:53
    Chris "Jesus" Ferguson Cutting Carrots at Reason
    ReasonVids
    1078 views
    Thumbnail for Remy: Isn't it Ironic: (Alanis Morissette Government Surveillance Parody)2:14
    Remy: Isn't it Ironic: (Alanis Morissette Government Surveillance Parody)
    ReasonVids
    980 views
    Thumbnail for 1970's Christians told the truth about Jews - It didn't become taboo until Jews slowly tightened their grip upon Network Media, and used it to create and influence ((( Popular Culture ))).2:52
    1970's Christians told the truth about Jews - It didn't become taboo until Jews slowly tightened their grip upon Network Media, and used it to create and influence ((( Popular Culture ))).
    bestofupgoat
    132 views
    Thumbnail for City Zones Popular Mechanic Shop out of Business2:51
    City Zones Popular Mechanic Shop out of Business
    IJvids
    952 views
    Thumbnail for Resolved: The Government Should Cut Off All Funding to Colleges and Universities1:32:37
    Resolved: The Government Should Cut Off All Funding to Colleges and Universities
    ReasonVids
    854 views
    Thumbnail for Ghibli0:45
    Ghibli
    bestofupgoat
    94 views
    Thumbnail for Ravers vs. The Man: CA Bans LED Gloves and Pacifiers5:48
    Ravers vs. The Man: CA Bans LED Gloves and Pacifiers
    ReasonVids
    924 views
    Thumbnail for The Pen Test DOESN'T Prove You're Drunk! #lawyer #police | Hampton Law0:57
    The Pen Test DOESN'T Prove You're Drunk! #lawyer #police | Hampton Law
    invidious
    109 views
    Thumbnail for Switch Pro with 8GB RAM Upgrade | UFD Tech0:52
    Switch Pro with 8GB RAM Upgrade | UFD Tech
    invidious
    261 views
    Thumbnail for Why Texas is Booming: How Low Taxes & Small Government are Transforming the Lone Star State8:05
    Why Texas is Booming: How Low Taxes & Small Government are Transforming the Lone Star State
    ReasonVids
    1008 views
    Thumbnail for Fun with Guns in '850:59
    Fun with Guns in '85
    MannequinGothique
    1543 views
    Thumbnail for CNN's Second Libertarian Presidential Town Hall Recap3:51
    CNN's Second Libertarian Presidential Town Hall Recap
    ReasonVids
    907 views
    Thumbnail for أفضل مبشرة بصل كهربائيه | دوس لايك 0:06
    أفضل مبشرة بصل كهربائيه | دوس لايك
    invidious
    228 views
    Thumbnail for Save The Baby. Home Rush10:00
    Save The Baby. Home Rush
    stumble_bro
    459 views
    Thumbnail for Two Women Fight Pennsylvania for the Right to Earn an Honest Living1:50
    Two Women Fight Pennsylvania for the Right to Earn an Honest Living
    IJvids
    916 views
    Thumbnail for It's Reality! Scientist's FINALLY Discovered First Ever White Hole! | Future Unity10:32
    It's Reality! Scientist's FINALLY Discovered First Ever White Hole! | Future Unity
    invidious
    341 views

points

Permalink
Reply
hector ricketts
,
new york city (city/town/village)
,
public transport (industry)
,
public unions
,
entrepreneurship (field of study)
,
reason (periodical)
,
libertarianism (school of thought)
,
institute for justice
,
chip mellor
,
nick gillespie (author)
,
todd krainin
,
charles koch
,
deregulation
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle