TRANSPORTATION
INFORMATION CENTER |
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ABOUT
SHARE-RIDE SHUTTLES SERVICES
Below is some general information
including but not limited to the pricing mechanism of share-ride
shuttle companies serving points in California. We may be able to
shop and reserve transportation for you: we don't charge you
anything for our services, but for the fare you pay for the
transportation. Now, if you have the time, you may shop for yourself
using the directory for your particular area or community.
NOW, ABOUT THE TYPES OF SHARE-RIDE SERVICES ......
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ON-CALL, DOOR-TO-DOOR,
SHUTTLE |
SCHEDULED BUS SERVICE
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ON-CALL |
SINGLE-STOP SHUTTLE
SERVICE |
CITY-TO-CITY COUNTY-TO-COUNTY |
Shuttles are
"share-ride" transportation common carriers of passengers licensed to
transport passengers paying fares on a per person basis: common carrier
simply means they are required to serve
any and every fare
paying person in the general public. Shuttles are authorized (allowed
by law)
to operate only between pre-approved, fixed points (termini), and
charge pre-approved flat (fixed) fares published in the
carrier's tariff:
- a
Tariff in this case, is a document describing the
Type of License (authority) the carrier holds, the
Terms & Conditions under which the carrier will
provide service, and a Schedule of the authorized
service Points and Fares. The fares
are based on the transportation of an individual between two fixed
points (termini).
- Shuttle Rates (fares) are Non-NEGOTIABLE and most be
consistent with the Tariff; and there are many
carriers competing to serve you.
- Share-ride shuttle implies "unrelated
parties may share-ride in the same vehicle" but must pay
individual fares (fares on per person basis) and
not a shared-fare; and certainly no Charter or exclusive
transportation services.
There are two
distinguishable types of shuttles:
- On-Call, Door-to-Door, Shuttle (usually Vans, SUVs
designed to carry 5 to 14 passengers); and
- Regularly Scheduled, Regular-Route, Shuttle (usually
Buses designed to carry 15 or more passengers).
In
California, "share-ride" Shuttles also known as Passenger Stage
Corporations are licensed (granted a "certificate of public
convenience and necessity (CPCN)") to operate at the public's convenience.
A shuttle operator is one has prepared and filed a formal
Application, gone through the rigors of the application process and
has been qualified or authorized by the California Public Utilities
Commission to serve a specific route or operate between specific
points. All Passenger Stage
Corporations (PSC) are required to post their "PSC" License
Number in a prescribed manner: viz, PSC-#: unlike TCP
(Transportation Charter-Party-Carrier of Passengers) PSC has
no letter designations. Based on the type of
market an operator presented during the application process a
shuttle may qualify to operate between cities or counties (i.e.,
intrastate "Greyhound" type service), on the one
hand, or between points in counties (or city and county) and Airports,
Train Stations, Harbors, Sports Arenas and other popular
points of interest (i.e., "SuperShuttle" type shuttle
services), on the other hand:
postal zip codes, a whole city or a hotel may be identified as a
service point for establishing fares.
Government Regulations
require that Shuttle Fares and Charges be based on a
pre-approved, flat (fixed) Rates published in a Tariff.
For instance, $$ per
person per zip code area: all discounts and special
fares must also be
stated in the tariff and posted in the vehicle - visible
to the passenger with details available on demand. Any
carrier with the proper operating authority (license)
will know to quote the fares (charges) .....based
strictly on the authorized tariff!! Any carrier
that charges otherwise (Licensed or Not) is an illegal
(or Bandit) operator: an operator that is operating
beyond the scope of its authority and a possible danger
to the public.
NOTE, if an operator ignores one rule he/she is more likely to ignore other safety (or
pricing) rules. |
For
information about California PSC licenses, you may
contact the PUBLIC
UTILITIES COMMISSION (PUC) - License Section 415-355-5547; or let us work help
you get your "PSC" license and Tariff to operate
323-378-6494.
Regarding airport shuttle services, you may also call the
airport's "Landside Operations Unit (the department that
controls ground transportation at the airport)" of the
respective airports for safety concerns they might have
about any carrier that serves the airport. With shuttles, Safety and
the proper application of the fares is always of concern: some carriers may risk passenger safety in traffic or
operate uninsured equipment or use unqualified drivers, on
the one hand, or charge fares not authorized in the Tariff,
on the other hand.
This
webpage has been published to assist you and any member of
the public learn more about shuttle services, find and
reserve properly licensed shuttle services, and to
encourage shuttle companies to operate properly and safely.
WE encourage you to make
your RESERVATION on this web site; we take
care of all the arrangements and provision of proper service for you for no additional charge to you.
Remember, we help
license some of the best companies that serve the public today:
this company has been formed by a former regulator with public safety and
fare market practices in mind.
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