If you are an operator in California or are planning to operate during the 2026 World Cup, please read this article. There are major changes coming to LAX and the CPUC. This post will cover:
- Enforcement and compliance with the CPUC
- Challenges and solutions for airport enforcement
- Operational and regulatory changes at LAX
- The impact of the new LAX fees and enforcement policies.
1. Enforcement and Compliance with the PUC
On March 18th at the California Transportation Regulatory Group (CTG) event Latasha James and Steve Escara from the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) spoke to discuss enforcement and compliance issues. Steve explained that the Transportation Enforcement / Passenger Carriers side of the PUC regulates:
- Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) – e.g., Uber, Lyft
- Autonomous vehicle passenger services
- Charter Party Carriers (TCPs)
- Passenger Stage Corporations (buses)
- There are:
- Over 8,000 active TCP operating authorities
- Hundreds of millions of TNC trips annually
- Millions of autonomous-vehicle trips since 2023
And he also shared that they focus on investigation, enforcement, risk evaluation, education, the training of law enforcement, and field operations.
Organizational structure & units
- Three main enforcement units (each with a supervisor)
- Airport Enforcement Unit
- Supervisor: Eric Hooks
- Conducts airport enforcement operations
- Compliance Enforcement Unit
- Supervisor: Lotta Tran
- Conducts proactive audits, reviews operating authority and general requirements
- Field Enforcement Unit
- Supervisor: Shirley Lay
- Conducts statewide field operations
- Airport Enforcement Unit
Core priorities and approach
- Latasha described their priorities are:
- Reduce illegal operations
- Detect and deter non‑compliance using:
- General Order 157‑E
- Public Utilities Code
- Educate entities on expectations
- Collaborate with groups like CGTRG
- Promote safety and reduce risk in the industry
2. Challenges and Solutions for Enforcement at Airports
What they target at airports
Of course, they are not without challenges. They face certain challenges and difficulties while enforcing rules and regulations especially due to the lack of sufficient labor force. Their objectives and operations are listed below.
- Objectives at airports:
- Deter and reduce:
- Illegal passenger carriers
- Solicitation (curbside hustling)
- Operating while suspended/revoked/expired
- Operating without airport permits
- Conduct joint operations with airport police:
- Ensure compliance with airport rules and PUC regulations
- Enhance public safety
- Observed violations can lead to misdemeanor citations and impounds
- Deter and reduce:
Example: LAX operations in prior year
- At LAX, in joint operations with LAXPD
- 263 vehicles observed
- 55 probable violations identified
- 11 cease‑and‑desist (C&D) notices issued
- 163 misdemeanor citations issued (by LAXPD)
- 164 vehicle impounds
Major-event enforcement plans
They plan to increase enforcement during the World Cup and other large events.
- World Cup & other large events:
- Airport Enforcement Unit will run operations at LAX and Bay Area airports (incl. SFO).
- Field Enforcement Unit plans field operations at:
- Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara)
- SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles)
- Focus: controlling illegal and non‑compliant operations during high‑demand events.
Cross‑state and advertising-based illegal operations
Out‑of‑state operators who plan to operate during the World Cup must follow all rules and regulations; specifically, operators coming from other states must adhere to California standards. They should contact the licensing section in San Francisco (li*******@*****ca.gov) to coordinate. Prior guidance dictates that buses entering California to pick up and drop off passengers within the state must have a PUC operating permit; otherwise, they are operating illegally. A question remains about temporary permits; as of this meeting, there is no clear temporary permit solution.
Illegal operators use online advertising (Google, Yelp, booking sites). These entities advertise chauffeured services on Google, Yelp and various booking sites without: PUC permits, Airport permits, commercial insurance and overhead, this allows them to undercut legal operators.
The PUC shared that they investigate websites, social media, online ads. They open cases and issue fines when they find violations. Complaints from operators (with screenshots, URLs, photos) help them initiate investigations.Again, the constraint: there are very few enforcement officers (about 11 for all CA) and budget cuts have reduced capacity, so they cannot chase every online ad.
Practical enforcement triggers at the curb. At the airport, in an operation, they typically:
- Scan for vehicles without visible TCP numbers
- Run license plates with law enforcement
- Perform a compliance check:
- Is the TCP active?
- Is the vehicle listed on the equipment list?
- Does the driver have a waybill (paper or electronic)?
- Even if the TCP is valid, if the specific vehicle is not listed, or there is no waybill, that can be a violation.
3. Operational and Regulatory Changes at LAX
Permits and processing – Landside / LAX
Permit processing has improved. LAX’s Ground Transportation Services (Landside) streamlined the process: new permits no longer go to the City Attorney or higher‑level supervisors for signature. They are processed within the GT office, speeding approvals. Average turnaround now ~22 days for new applicants.They believe no current permits exceed 60 days of processing, except in cases where applicants failed to respond to corrective requests (e.g., name mismatches).
Volume and importance of LAX
- Scale:
- PUC: >9,000 active legal TCP companies in CA (highest ever).
- LAX: ~5,000 companies have LAX permits.
- LAX is undergoing extensive terminal renovations and infrastructure changes through ~2030, including:
- APM / SkyLink automated people mover
- Terminal theming and upgrades
4. Impact of New Fees and Enforcement at LAX
New fee structure (drop‑off & pick‑up)
The long‑standing $5 per trip fee at LAX is being replaced. You read it right. Get ready to pay more.
- When the APM / SkyLink is fully operational:
- Within CTA (upper or lower level):
- $12 per drop‑off or pickup
- At ITF West (SkyLink interface outside CTA):
- $6 per trip (drop or pick‑up)
- Within CTA (upper or lower level):
The exact activation date is not yet set, but they do not expect APM to go live before the World Cup. It will likely occur after to avoid operational chaos during the event.
Operators will see: Two fees per round trip (drop‑off + pick‑up) if both are in CTA. Plus parking (which can be $40–$50+ for long baggage meets). Plus any baggage‑meet fees operators charge clients.
Continued operation in the CTA
Despite new fees and APM:Permitted black car / TCP operators will continue operating in the CTA (curbside and parking structures). This is explicitly highlighted as a core advocacy win: maintaining CTA access (versus being pushed entirely to APM/ITF terminals).
New permit agreement (NELA) and day permits
NELA (operating agreement) updates. LAX is updating language and verbiage. They are updating fee schedules to reflect the new structure. A new version will be issued for signature to all operators once finalized. Single‑day / official day permits are in process. LAX is working on an official day permit program:Intended for rare/occasional operators or specific events. Details are not finalized yet, but are in development.
Enforcement changes and risks at LAX
Due to increased cooperation, there is better coordination and joint enforcement. Historically, there were issues coordinating LAX Airport Police, Landside, and CPUC. Now there is better coordination and joint enforcement, similar to the example metrics mentioned earlier.Focus is on:
- Illegal operators
- Non-compliant TNC & TCP activity
- Gypsies/curbside solicitors
Drop‑off without permit – policy shift coming. At many airports today, non‑permitted operators can still do drop‑offs (but not pick‑ups). At LAX, once the new system is active:If you do not have an LAX operating permit, simply dropping off may become a violation. You could be subject to fines and enforcement even for drop‑offs.LAX and PUC will use: TCP checks; Internal access to permit databases to determine if a vehicle/company has an LAX permit.
Automated license plate readers & payment systems will be used. LAX is moving toward license plate recognition (LPR) in parking structures. Questions regarding whether drivers might need credit cards tied to LPR for parking and whether cash will still be accepted were discussed. Landside leadership agreed to explore credit‑card or billing options specifically for operators.
For the first time, LAX leadership responded positively to the long‑standing industry request for dedicated parking spaces in garages for permitted operators (similar to SFO/SAN). They will seriously look into testing a small number of dedicated spots in one or more structures (e.g., 1–2 or 6–7). This is not yet implemented, but they signaled real consideration for at least a pilot.
TNC / Uber Black vs. traditional operators under new regime
Once APM is live, Uber Black vehicles with TCPs are allowed limited access to CTA 70%; specifically, 70% of their trips must use APM/ITF routes, while 30% of their trips can come downstairs to the CTA. They will be geofenced and audited so LAX knows: How often they enter CTA. Whether they comply with the 70/30 allocation.They will also be charged: $12 in CTA or $6 at ITF West, just like other operators.Traditional TCP operators will continue with full CTA operation, but must pay the new per‑trip fees and face ongoing enforcement against illegal or non‑permitted activity.
To sum it up, the PUC is working hard and working in tandem with legal authorities to enforce the rules and ensure a fair playing field for the operators. Also, there are increased fees and updates at LAX airport for the operators who should be aware of and follow to avoid hefty fines.