The former chairman of the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission wants to get rid of the group all together.
Victor Crist recently stepped down from the board. He then reached out to Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, to help end the commission and start fresh.
In an email, Crist said the board is too bureaucratic, can’t adapt to new technology and needed better transparency. His plan is to create an alternative transportation board.
PTC vice chair, David Pogorilich said people need to realize their agency is about more than just taxis.
“It’s tow trucks, non-emergency ambulances, limousines, black cars and tow trucks quite frankly take up most of our times,” he said. “We basically serve as umpires between tow trucks and the cars they tow.”
He said he wasn’t surprised by Crist’s decision to resign and then make his announcement.
“The fact that he did this, we all saw it coming, maybe not so soon, but we all saw it coming,” he said. “I don't feel betrayed. I think he's wrong and I think that everybody once they dig into the details will realize that he's wrong.”
Crist's resignation makes him another commission official who decided to leave. Board member Frank Reddick resigned after their meeting last week. Executive director, Kyle Cockream announced he will step down in December.
Even the board is getting smaller, Pogorilich thinks it has several years left.
“Once you get into the weeds of everything that the PTC does, I think they're going to find out its going to take another year or so or two years to find an alternative brand that ensures the safety of the traveling public.”
