Chattanooga Depot Tours
A new business geared for accommodating the tourist industry is preparing to make an application to operate in Chattanooga. Angelina Needam and Hal Everett made a presentation to the Chattanooga Transportation Board Thursday afternoon, of their plan to give guided tours of downtown in antique depot hacks. They own two of the vehicles, which are described as “borderline horseless carriages.” These are wooden wagons built to fit on Model T trucks.
One that they own was built in 1919 and the other in 1925.
Originally, these vehicles were designed to be workhorses for the 1900’s used to transport people from the train station to a hotel along with their luggage. They were the original station wagons, said Mr. Everett. They have rudimentary 40-horsepower engines with enough power to go up the city hills without disturbing traffic in any way, he added, and each can comfortably hold six passengers. The owners of the business said this is a very historic vehicle to Chattanooga with many old photos showing them in operation.
Because there will be a fee involved for use of the vehicles, they must be permitted by the Transportation Board. However, there is no existing vehicle designation in which they fit. The City Council will need to create a new category in order for the company to apply for a permit to operate.
Ms. Needam said she viewed these tours as a complimentary service to the horse and carriage business that operates downtown. She is proposing to station the vehicles in the horseshoe at the Tennessee Aquarium along with the carriages. Ms. Needam and Mr. Everett will present their proposal to the Chattanooga City Council on Feb. 24.
Ms. Needam has been in the horse and carriage industry for 17 years. Mr. Everett is an employee of Coker Tire, working with antique vehicles.
Chattanooga Police Officer Chuck Topping updated the board on the status of Uber. Although the new city ordinance pertaining to the enforcement of vehicles for hire officially has been in effect since Feb. 9, Uber’s application for a permit to operate and fee of $5,000 was only received Thursday. In consecutive years the fee will drop to $3,500.
Along with the payment, a list of drivers and a list of their vehicles is required to be provided quarterly. Proof of insurance is another condition that is needed. A provision in the new city code specifies that there be a local office. One issue of non-compliance that will be considered is that Uber has no plans to open an office in Chattanooga. The business for the entire eastern U.S. is operated remotely out of Washington D.C., said Officer Topping.
The application will now be reviewed and a recommendation for the permit should be ready by the next meeting on March 20 although the business is already in operation.
Floyd Kilpatrick , a new member, joined the Transportation Board Thursday.