03/17/2026
Virginia Limousine Association Members,
SET was issued a summons by the MWAA Police to appear in court for not having a MWAA issued decal and transponder on a vehicle picking up at Dulles.
My chauffeur went to court, and as a retired Virginia Beach police officer, was amazed by how many people were in that courtroom mostly for the same violation. There were interpreters in court and many more available by phone to help with the communication issue as so many there were not English speaking drivers.
I think that this may be a good year to approach the Virginia Legislature and present them with the idea that it is time to rethink the way that the TNCs operate. The NJ Assembly Transportation Committee Passes Crackdown Bill on Illegal Limo Operators, is an indicator that legislators may be willing to listen. Also, in a huge admission to the dangers of using TNC transportation services pose a risk as UBER has announced a way for female passengers to request a female driver. This admission comes after hundreds of thousands of sexual assault charges and at least 5 convictions resulting in millions of dollars in fines. As we all know, the last year has been tough for many in the luxury transportation space and one big problem is the UBER trained driver going out on their own to cut out any APP related income issues.
Therefore, I think that we need to follow the lead of the Long Island Limo Association and the New Jersey operators and point out the obvious to the Virginia Legislators, who by the way, are looking for ways to grab more tax revenue. Put For Hire plates on all TNC cars and tax them as we are taxed on our fleets. That should bring in a much sought after revenue stream that does not exist now.
Please let me know if there are any other ideas floating about to help our association and the industry.
Respectfully,
Paul Walsh
