California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
_________________________________________________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov
CPUC INVESTIGATIONS RESULT IN ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS
AND FINES IMPOSED ON VARIOUS LIMOUSINES,
SHUTTLES, AND BUS COMPANIES
SAN FRANCISCO, August 5, 2008 - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), in its ongoing commitment to consumer protection, has taken a number of actions to protect consumers from illegally operating passenger carriers.
During the second quarter of 2008, the CPUC's Consumer Protection and Safety Division (CPSD), Transportation Enforcement Section, took the following enforcement actions against limousine, bus, and shuttle companies for violations of the Public Utilities Code and CPUC rules and regulations, including General Order 157-D.
Administrative Citation
Nine companies were cited and fined (totaling $31,000) for violations ranging from:
1. Engaged employees without procuring evidence of workers' compensation insurance
2. Failed to comply with General Order 157 rules (equipment list, waybills, out of class drivers)
3. Failed to enroll drivers in a mandatory Drug and Alcohol program
4. Failed to enroll drivers in DMV Pull Notice program
5. Operated with no evidence of public liability insurance in effect and on file
6. Operated without a valid authority (suspension, revocation, expiration, or unlicensed)
7. Operating as a taxi
Companies cited were:
1. Alfred R. Sanchez dba Majestic World Transportation, Victorville (TCP 23901)
2. Antonio Montelongo Jr. dba A Touch of Class Limousine, Modesto (TCP 19414)
3. Balbir Singh dba Bali Limousine and Shuttle Service, Santa Clara (TCP 14041)
4. Bruce Antonoff dba California Chauffeur Corporation, La Jolla (TCP 23799)
5. Carmen Siliceo dba Global Limousine, Placentia (TCP 23376)
6. Ismael Diaz dba Concord Express, LLC, San Ysidro (PSC 20549)
7. Jamal Benraoui dba Air Link, San Diego (TCP 15271)
8. Leyd Anorve dba American Luxury Limo, Poway (TCP 21313)
9. Lidia Susana Paredes dba LP Express, Inglewood (TCP 18962)
Enforcement Actions at Los Angeles World Airport (Period of Jan. - June 2008)
Number of citations issued by LAWA police |
101 |
Number of vehicles impound |
83 |
Administrative citations issued by CPUC |
21 |
Administrative fines collected |
$ 15,250 |
Administrative citations were issued to:
1. Abed, Hamid dba EconoRide
2. Aguirre, Martin dba Ideal Limousine
3. Beylouni, Mohamed dba Team Fleet Fin Group
4. Ellis, Larry James and Hollis, Thackery
5. Gale, Byron dba LAX Park Place Inc.
6. Grigoryan, Gagik dba Black Diamond
7. Hernandez, Francisco and Sanchez, Juan
8. Kang, Steve dba Rotex Tour Consulting
9. Kravtsov, Alexander dba Hardrock Intl Limo
10. Le, Anderson E dba Vietnam Dua Don
11. Lee, Paul
12. Lee, Yuan Hao dba A Rodeo Limo Service
13. Lomeli, Juan J. dba Airport Valet System Inc.
14. McLaughlin, Raul I dba BZE Services
15. Perez, Eduardo V. dba Airport Valet System Inc.
16. Pineda, Jorge dba Fantasy Limo
17. Rojas, Angel
18. Somarriba, Rafael A. dba Easy Rental Car Inc.
19. Southers, Heather dba Got U there Tours
20. Vannatter, Michael S. LA LA Land Enterprise
21. Young, Vernon E dba Man In Motion
Criminal Filings
_ Danyelle Bayvette Butler dba Dandy Lion Transit. As a result of a CPSD investigation, the Los Angeles City Attorney's office charged this company with 11 counts of operating without CPUC authority and failure to procure evidence of public liability insurance coverage (Complaint # SCO7CA02484.) Arraignment was held on June 19, 2007, in which Butler was released on her own recognizance and ordered not to operate until in full compliance with all rules and regulations. The L.A. City Attorney filed a motion to revoke bail based on evidence obtained by CPSD that Butler operated in violation of her probation. The motion was denied. A jury trial was held on December 12, 2007, for seven days. Butler was represented by a Public Defender but she fired her attorney during trial. Both sides presented witnesses. The jury deliberated and found the defendant guilty on eight counts of CPUC violations and one count of a California Highway Patrol violation. The defendant was sentenced to 30 days in jail, ordered to pay $1,000 fine or an additional 30 days jail time in lieu of fine payment, placed on 36 months summary probation, ordered not to operate without a CPUC permit, and to divest ownership of all commercial vehicles in her possession. Butler filed an appeal on January 22, 2008. Butler appeared in court on February 20, 2008, to report on her compliance to a court order regarding divestment of ownership of her commercial vehicles. Butler provided documents that showed sale of vehicles to herself and her mother. The City Attorney objected. On March 27, 2008, the court invalidated the purported sale of buses to Butler's mother and ordered Butler to sell the buses to a third party outside of her control by May 8, 2008. A Probation violation hearing held on June 18, 2008. The City Attorney submitted evidence of partial compliance. The defendant was ordered back in court on August 19, 2008, for further compliance review.
_ Benito Vasquez dba El Camino Transportation, Inglewood (TCP-None) As a result of a CPSD investigation, the City of Inglewood City Attorney's Office charged this company with 22 counts of violating the Public Utilities Code, namely operating without a valid permit, no evidence of workers' compensation insurance on file, and failure to provide documents to CPUC staff (Complaint # 71G02293). An Arraignment Hearing has been set for September 4, 2007, in which Vasquez has pled no contest to one count of violation. He was ordered to pay $100 in court costs plus fines and penalties, and $250 in investigative costs to the CPUC. He has been placed on 12 months probation and ordered to obey all laws.
_ Mark John Arata dba Diamond Limousine, Newbury Park. CPSD submitted a report requesting the L.A. City Attorney's office to file a misdemeanor complaint. In complaint #SCO7CA02658, the defendant was charged with 42 counts of operating without authority and one count of failure to obey CPUC rules. Arraignment was set for January 16, 2008. A bench warrant was issued on January 19, 2008, as defendant failed to show.
Official Notice
Eight companies were issued Official Notice for one or more of these violations:
1. Operating and/or advertising without authority
2. Failing to file evidence of insurance
3. Operating outside of their scope of authority
4. Incomplete waybill
Companies cited were:
1. Christine Hughes dba CEO Luxury Transportation, LLC, San Diego (TCP 22456)
2. Esam Salama db. Black Diamond Limousine, Orange (PSG 19810)
3. Haji Moradi dba Xpress Shuttle, Chula Vista (TCP 18529)
4. Lisbeth Barrientos dba. Star Limo 2000, Redwood City (TCP 20021)
5. Ouadratullah Noori dba Golden West Limo Service, Ramona (TCP 19567)
6. Ron Merritt dba Ron Merritt Limousine Service, Santee (TCP 23878)
7. Said Jarrari dba Iride San Diego Airport Transportation, San Diego (TCP 23279)
8. Zafira Serpoosh dba Trump Limousine, Escondido (TCP 21197)
Cease and Desist Notices
CPSD issued thirty cease and desist notices to the companies listed below for operating and advertising as a passenger carrier without a valid permit and engaging unlicensed sub-carriers:
1. Alex Norriss dba Sun Diego City Airport Transportation (TCP 14828) San Diego
2. Alfred Sanchez dba Majestic Limousine (PSG 16337)
3. Arnold Diez dba Pacific Limousine, Oceanside (TCP 17091)
4. Brian Fay dba America's Finest Excursions, San Diego (Unlicensed)
5. Bruce Antonoff dba Antonoff Professional, San Diego (Unlicensed)
6. Cesar Cadena dba Worldwide Transportation, Inc., San Jose (TCP 20830)
7. Chris Johnsen dba JC Tours, San Bernardino (TCP 14722)
8. Coachman Limited Corporation dba At Your Service Transportation Monterey Limousine, Pebble Beach (TCP 15366)
9. Dennis Barrier dba The Wedding Chariot, Los Gatos (Unlicensed)
10. Dwayne Wesley McCarther dba McCarther Tour & Transportation, Oakland (TCP 16387-Revoked)
11. Four Winds Day Camp, Inc., Inglewood (PSG 9744)
12. Francisco Gonzales dba All City Bus Lines, Whittier (TCP 21613-Denied)
13. Gerald Anderson dba A1Perferred, Temecula (TCP 16778)
14. Guy Griffitho dba Dreamline Limousine, Riverside
15. Ibrahim B. Karadshe dba San Francisco Reliable Rides, Inc., Foster City (TCP 22755-Denied)
16. John Ristigain dba Papa J's Custom Ride, San Diego (Unlicensed)
17. Lisbeth Barrientos dba Star Limo 2000, Redwood City (TCP 20021)
18. Midnight Express, Carlsbad (TCP 11724)
19. Richard F. Stritzel dba Five Star Limousine, Healdsburg (TCP 13593-Revoked)
20. Romana Bandack dba Charter Pros LLC, Pleasanton (TCP 17813)
21. Ron Merritt dba Ron Merritt Limousine, Santee (Unlicensed)
22. Sammy Nour dba In and Out Group, LLC, San Diego (TCP 20702)
23. Sharon Elaine Davis dba Angeles in Flight 257 Transportation, Los Angeles (TCP 22034 Denied)
24. Society Dog, Los Gatos (Unlicensed)
25. Sylvia Feazell and Donna Ducree dba Blue Bayou, Los Angeles (TCP 19996)
26. Todd Coye dba Let's Roll, Inc., Capistrano Beach (TCP 23475)
27. Victor Barrios dba Amigos Transportation, LLC, Tustin (TCP 22793)
28. Vintage Senior Management Inc., Newport Beach (TCP-23311-Pending)
29. William Bishop, Jr. dba Rolling Hills Limousine Service, Redondo Beach (TCP 15210)
30. Yu-Chun Yeh dba Tao Tong International Groups, Inc., Fremont (TCP 22844- Pending)
For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.
###
