‘Bandit’ Limo Outfits Cited in City Probe

A crackdown in the Los Angeles area on so-called “bandit” limousine operators, who allegedly do not have state permits or proper insurance, was announced Tuesday by state and local officials.

Three firms were named by Los Angeles City Atty. James K. Hahn, who said the violators are “not the worst, but the first” offenders to be cited in an effort to clean up the industry.

Bandit operators, Hahn said, evade state and city regulations requiring proper insurance, vehicle safety inspections and driver background checks. Such unregulated operators, Hahn told a City Hall news conference, represent a “significant public safety problem.”

Larry McNeely, an investigator for the Public Utilities Commission, which has been investigating the limousine industry, estimated that there are 600 limousine services operating in the Los Angeles area, of which 300 are in violation of the law for not having proper permits or insurance.

Father on Panel

Ironically, the father of the owner of one cited limousine service is on the 15-member Los Angeles County Consumer Affairs Advisory Commission, an arm of the Department of Consumer Affairs, a consumer watchdog agency, according to court documents filed by the city attorney’s office.

“I’m in the insurance business,” said commission member Michael Nogueira, the father of Michael A. Nogueira Jr., owner of Sir Michael’s Limousine, one of the cited firms. “He has insurance.”

The firm was charged by the city attorney and the PUC with not having proper operating permits and inadequate liability insurance.

The younger Nogueira, 28, said he has four limousines--one fully insured, the other three used by film studios which, he said, carry their own insurance. In terms of proper licensing, “I have everything,” he said.

Others Cited

Two other Los Angeles firms cited were:

- Elegant Limousines and company operator Kazem Deris. The firm has about 20 vehicles.

- JJ&T; Limousines and operators Joseph Johnson and Tiffany Clark. The company said it has three limousines, Hahn said. Interlocked with this firm and also charged was Ru-Jo Limousines and operator Ruth Johnson.

Spokesmen for the firms were not available for comment.

Hahn said temporary restraining orders would be sought in Superior Court today to stop the three firms from doing business until they have proper permits and insurance.

Under the state Business and Professions Code, a minimum of $100,000 in civil penalties would be sought against each of the three firms, Hahn said.