I believe cape air hires at around 500 hours

I see the 1500 hour rule as a commitment to the career.

True.

But it also means that the regionals now have a shortage on their hands and they are desperate to hire anyone which means they can't be picky.

Which in turn actually decreases safety.

I think it has more to do with salaries then safety.

Unsafe pilots will still get phased out in training. This will keep the regionals short on pilots, which will hopefully keep entry level FO’s above the poverty line. At least let’s hope so.

The current pilot shortage isn’t due to the 1500 hour rule. Not all that long ago, before the rule was created, pilots still needed 2,000 hours to get hired. Once they were hired they were paid around $20,000 a year. Everyone decided that the career wasn’t worth pursuing. Now new pilots can use that leverage until it switches back again.

No, they won't.
The bottom feeders are so desperate they will push almost anyone through.

This is so true. I know pilots who could barely keep the blue side up that had air Wisconsin and Mesa drooling over them.

I just posted in another thread about becoming a CFI and building time as well as to continue teaching.
A friend who is chief pilot at a 135 told me to get my CFI and teach. Not just to build time but to learn to sit in the right seat and "watch" what's going on, to observe and to guide. He told me to take it seriously, to create good pilots and when you do that for 200-500 hours and you didn't kill yourself and a student, you will be a better pilot.
He said there's a reason at his operation candidates that are for the most part equal in time, etc he will hire the person with CFI experience.

Just phone interviewed with Air Choice One. Interview went great and their Chief seems like a pretty straight forward guy.

They are looking for lower time pilots for their FO program. 500 hours will get you at least an interview.

This ^^^
Thank you