JOIN THE DEBATE: The resolution of this issue, now at the heart of a federal lawsuit filed by operator Walter "Gunny" Kozak against the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, could potentially clarify and clean up Florida limo/livery rules and set a precedent for other states and counties. Since the report was posted on LCT’s website and e-newsletter Wednesday, a
LIVELY DISCUSSION with new angles, insights, and viewpoints has ensued. Luff best sums up the crux of the issue on one of his posted/response comments:
“I would expect to comply with the regulations of the city and county where I started and located my business. I would expect counties that I passed through to be recipricol (that means having a mutual agreement) like when you drive from Florida into Georgia and Georgia recognizes your Florida Driver's License while you are passing through Georgia. It would be ridiculous to need a license in every single state you drive through just as it is ridiculous for Hillsborough County to regulate anyone passing through! Again — statewide licensing is the solution to the problem in Florida. . . “
And operator David Shaw, president of the West Florida Limousine Association, has posted further:
"Just to clarify the HCPTC rules - a license is only needed if you pick up your passengers in Hillsborough County. It is not required if you are just passing through the county. A separate license is required also to pick up in jurisdictions such as Sarasota, Ft. Myers, Orlando, Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Dade County. Some counties do have reciprocal arrangements but the licensing requirements would have to equal. Since Hernando County has no regulation they would not fall under that kind of agreement. That is why I suggested that operators throughout the state should join together to lobby our legislators in Tallahassee for a statewide permit."
Print | posted on Friday, August 14, 2009 4:09 PM