Would you put yourself or your family in an unlicensed and unregistered-for-hire vehicle at RSW or Page Field? Most of these unlicensed and unregistered-for-hire vehicles do not even carry the proper auto insurance or have NOT done a background check.
We are not talking about Lyft and Uber because those companies required proper vehicle insurance and background checks plus the companies carry rideshare insurance.
We are talking about the vehicles that have NO permits from Lee County Port Authority and/or Lee County. That means these drivers have not shown the proper vehicle insurance policy and have NOT done a background check on the driver to get LCPA and/or Lee County permit to pick up passengers at RSW or Page Field.
This is happening every day at RSW and Page Field unlicensed and unregistered for hire vehicles picking passengers. For those companies that are during the right thing and permitted, on the other hand, those unlicensed and unregistered for-hire vehicles are harming their business and putting passengers’ lives at risk.
One Lee County official said people are putting themselves in danger by using unlicensed operators because many drivers don’t submit to background checks and their vehicles are not inspected, but he would not go any further with his comment.
One driver who offered a Lehigh Acres Gazette Investigator what he described as a “black car service” said the county is to blame for the pressure they feel to find fares.
Following is a statement from Victoria B. Moreland Chief Communications & Marketing Officer Lee County Port Authority:
The Lee County Port Authority has many ground transportation options for travelers including an on-demand taxi company and numerous secondary providers, as well as TNCs such as Lyft and Uber. There is no requirement for licensing when someone is dropping off a traveler; however, there are several requirements to be a “for hire” company to pick up someone at RSW. These include a permit from LCPA and/or Lee County.
We make every effort to ensure that “for hire” firms are following requirements including spot checks at the curb and contacting approved companies to ensure they are current. Since passenger traffic has increased at RSW in the past several months, we have stepped up our campaign of educating “for hire” companies of permitting requirements. Traffic control specialists, operations agents, and airport police hand out information to drivers if they can determine the person is a “for hire” vehicle picking up people at the terminal curbside. Our procedures are education first, followed by a verbal warning, and then we could issue a Notice to Appear. That last step has not been necessary at this point.
We review any claims or complaints received by anyone that alleges any abuse and, if it is determined they are picking up people without a permit, we follow up as explained above. It is important to note that many travelers are arriving and departing the airport in cars driven by family or friends.
LCPA has not issued any tickets nor have we had any fines paid to RSW for unlicensed and unregistered drivers picking passengers up at RSW for the past year.
UPDATE 04/23/2021
“We have given 32 verbal warnings to individuals who were not in compliance with the CO requiring a permit for “for hire” vehicles. We have not had to issue any paper warnings, tickets, trespass warnings, or Notice to Appear (NTA’s) at this point in the education phase”, From an email by Victoria Moreland