New MDOT YouTube video explains what to look for when hiring a limo service
April 15, 2013 -- Do you know what to look for when hiring a limo for a prom, wedding or other special occasion? A new YouTube video produced by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) provides a checklist that will keep you safe, starting with making sure the service provider is properly licensed with the state of Michigan.
"Hiring a Limo" can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PbrTS6cLzc. It features St. Johns High School students from St. Johns, Mich., getting ready for their prom and traveling in a limousine. The students share a checklist about hiring a limo service to help assure that with any special event, such as a prom or wedding, you hire a company with up-to-date credentials.
There are about 750 licensed limo companies in Michigan and more than 3,000 limos to choose from. Operators who are not licensed are in violation of state law and subject to fines and penalties.
Limousine operators are required to carry sufficient liability insurance and undergo annual safety inspections on all their vehicles.
A listing on the Internet or Craig's List does not guarantee that the operator is licensed. To find out if the limousine service you plan to use is licensed by the state, visit the MDOT Web site at www.michigan.gov/mdot. On the home page select "Rail and Public Transit," click on "Bus and Limo Licensing," then select "Current List of Carriers" under Commercial Limo Licensing. If you do not see the limousine service listed, it is likely that the operator is providing service illegally and should not be hired.
To help find a limousine company close to you, there is an online option to search by county. (Note that carriers are certified statewide.) Or, call MDOT's Bureau of Passenger Transportation at 517-241-0679 (companies starting with A-K) or 517-241-0680 (L-Z) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
A checklist for consumers who want to hire a limo company also is available on the MDOT Web site under Commercial Limo Licensing.
The "Hiring a Limo" video was produced in partnership with the Michigan State Police.
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