Opinion ID: 66466
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Southern Shuttle’s Airport Service

Text: Southern Shuttle operates “Super Shuttle” vans that transport people to and from three airports: Miami International Airport (“MIA”), Palm Beach International Airport (“PBIA”) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (“FLHIA”).1 Super Shuttle (the “Shuttle”) transports customers in large, nine- and ten-passenger vans. The Shuttle is “a shared-ride airport shuttle service,” which means passengers share the ride to or from the airport with other passengers. The Shuttle’s website touts its “shared ride” service as a way to offer 1 Southern Shuttle has an agreement with Miami-Dade County to provide ground transportation services to MIA. Southern Shuttle has no other such contracts with airlines, hotels or companies. 2 “prices that are more economical than a taxi or limo . . . .” Shuttle vans pick up passengers at any location in the area (such as their home, office or hotel) and transport them to one of the three area airports or take passengers from the airport to any location in the area. Shuttle drivers are not allowed to transport passengers from any location to any other location; they can transport passengers only to or from one of the three airports. The Shuttle uses “stands” at the three airports and is available to the general public.2 Southern Shuttle advertises its services under the heading “Airport Transportation” in telephone books. Taxicab companies, limousine services and town car services also advertise under this heading. Southern Shuttle does not advertise under the heading “Taxicabs.” Passengers contact the Shuttle directly. Passengers can either make reservations ahead of time by phone or schedule a trip at the airport. Passengers traveling to the airport schedule a fifteen-minute pickup window. Passengers traveling from the airport check in either at an airport kiosk or counter or at curbside with a Shuttle representative (not a driver) and wait to be assigned to a 2 At MIA, the Shuttle has its own “stand,” which is identical to stands used by taxicabs, but is separately marked with signs. The Shuttle has five spots at its MIA stand. While waiting to pick up passengers, taxicabs and the Shuttle vans wait in different designated areas. As for PBIA, the parties dispute whether the Shuttle has a separately marked spot or stand. We do not think this dispute affects the result in this case. 3 van waiting in a “holding lot.” The Shuttle’s “dispatch office” sends the vans to pick up passengers traveling to the airport and “routes” airport passengers with others traveling to the same geographical area and assigns them to vans. Shuttle drivers are not permitted to transport passengers who “hail” them on the street. Rather, they are allowed to transport only passengers who have pre-arranged transportation through the Shuttle’s dispatch office or a kiosk or counter inside the airport. The Shuttle charges passengers a flat rate based on zip codes organized into zones, a common practice in South Florida for both airport shuttles and some taxicabs. Shuttle vans do not have meters or charge metered fares. Shuttle drivers are paid commission and may accept tips. Some, but not all, Shuttle drivers have “hack” licenses, which taxicab drivers also possess. From December 19, 2005 to June 24, 2007, Plaintiff Abel worked for Southern Shuttle as a driver of vans to and from the three airports. Abel was paid commission and tips, but no overtime compensation. For any period in which Abel’s commission and tips was less than minimum wage, Southern Shuttle paid Abel the additional amount needed to reach minimum wage.