Jim Duncan, a retired city planner, has written more than 600 short histories of Austin businesses. The American-Statesman introduced Duncan and his series, “Jim Duncan’s Austin,” on July 6. This week, we adapt three more of his histories focused on Austin transportation companies.
1969: Zilker Park Boat Rentals
Despite recurring staff recommendations to switch boat rental vendors on Lady Bird Lake, the Austin City Council has opted three times — in 1994, 2005 and 2020 — to continue with the services of Zilker Park Boat Rentals.
The reason: Council members have disagreed with the staff’s findings, which were based on a decision matrix that prioritzed profitability over experience and customer satisfaction.
As the mayor explained, “There are intangibles that can’t be logically considered in a matrix.”…