Choosing a ground transportation company for your organization is a decision that shouldn’t be made lightly. Getting executives to and from the airport on time is a responsibility that often relies on the choice of the executive assistant. Many corporate travel planners and travel agents have to think about a number of issues aside from the price of the trip. Will the car arrive on time? Is the company adequately insured? Are the chauffeurs friendly and knowledgeable? Can the company arrange ground transportation in the destination city? Does the company have the right kind of permits for the service required?
The permitting process for ground transportation vehicles is very rigorous. Taxi’s are subject to different requirements than Sedan companies and Limousine services, and different permits are required for different cities, counties and airports. The typical for hire vehicle would need approximately 5 different permits to operate legally in the South Florida area. Each County has its own permit requirements, and you must obtain that county’s permit to pick-up in that area. An airport service company located in Broward County could not legally pick up passengers in Palm Beach County without having both a Broward County license and a Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs license. Similarly a company although licensed in Palm Beach County, could not legally pick up at Palm Beach International Airport without having obtaining a Ground Transportation Permit for PBIA. Fines for non compliance are severe, and include criminal charges being leveled against the driver in the form of a second degree misdemeanor. In some jurisdictions, enforcement officials will tow the offending vehicle for not being properly licensed. Miami Dade County and Miami International Airport have some of the strictest regulations in the area.
The City of Boca Raton has its own set of ordinances for ground transportation companies. The City is very selective about the companies that are permitted to operate within the City limits. Currently there are five companies that have City of Boca Raton permits and are legally authorized to pick up passengers within the city limits. If you are not sure if the company you use for transportation is properly licensed you should call the City of Boca Raton Code Enforcement Unit at 561 393-7937. There is a serious exposure in selecting a company that does not have the proper licensing. In the event of an accident the insurance company may elect to disavow coverage because the vehicle was not properly licensed. A company may be fully licensed in Palm Beach County but still not be legally authorized to pick up customers in the City of Boca Raton. Corporations often do their due diligence before entering into an agreement with a company to provide transportation, but guests staying at Boca Raton Hotels are often duped into using unlicensed vehicles simply because the bellman or the valet selected the transportation provider for one of our biggest assets, our tourists and corporate guests. Click Here for Boca Raton Limousine Services.
Palm Beach County has experienced an explosion of ground transportation companies in recent years. Consumer Affairs reports that there are currently over 600 companies, with almost 2200 vehicle registered here. This has resulted in a super saturation of providers chasing fewer and fewer fares. Broward County by comparison has only 90 companies and Miami Dade county has even fewer. County commissioners are studying ways to bring order to the chaos and shrink the number of companies to a more manageable number. They have created a For Hire Vehicle Advisory Board to find ways to raise the bar for transportation operators in order to provide the residents and businesses of Palm Beach County with better more qualified transportation companies. For questions or comments concerning the county’s regulations please contact Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs, Betty Hartman her email is ehartman@pbcgov.org
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