Consumer FAQs

Please click on the Question links below to reveal the answers.

Please use the Complaint Form on our website Transportation Complaint (ca.gov). Complete the form, provide documentation, and return via email or US mail. The addresses are at the top of the form. It takes 30 business days to address your complaint. If you have questions, please call us at 800-649-7570.

Yes.  Please use the Complaint Form on our website Transportation Complaint (ca.gov). Complete the form, provide documentation, and return via email or US mail. The addresses are at the top of the form. It takes 30 business days to address your complaint. If you have questions, please call us at 800-649-7570.

When the Consumer Affairs Branch (CAB) receives a written complaint about a transportation carrier with Commission authority the CAB will send a letter to the carrier requesting a written response along with all correspondence and documents related to the transportation in question. Once the carrier provides documentation, CAB will analyze the complaint, the carrier’s response, and all documents submitted by both the complainant and the carrier and will try to resolve the complaint through mediation.

Yes.  Here are 10 tips on hiring a limousine.

 

  1. Shop around for the best limousine company. Find out the number of passengers allowed in the limousine you want to rent, and the cost per hour before proceeding.

     

  2. Check to be certain the limousine carrier is licensed by the CPUC by calling 1-800-649-7570 or visiting https://tcportal.cpuc.ca.gov/TCP/s/.

     

  3. When you call the CPUC or visit us online, be sure to check that the company you are considering renting from has liability insurance (Note: owner/operators with no employees are not required to carry workers’ compensation insurance).

     

  4. Get a written agreement with the terms of hiring the limousine such as the cost, deposit required, refund and tip policies, pick-up/drop-off times, arrival and departure locations, specific type of limo requested, and services expected. This helps to ensure that you will receive the services you have requested at the cost the company quotes.

     

  5. Ask the limousine company to show you the car you will be renting.

     

  6. Be certain the transportation charter-party carrier (TCP) number is displayed on the limousine – that tells you that the company is registered with the CPUC.

     

  7. Verify that the TCP number is accurate by checking with the CPUC.

     

  8. Remember that alcohol is not allowed in limousines carrying passengers under 21 years of age. If the driver is transporting only minors and discovers alcohol in the car, the driver is required to return the passengers to their original pick-up location.

     

  9. Prearrangement with a limousine company is required, unlike taxi service.

     

  10. Keep all receipts!

The CPUC does not regulate local bus routes. You should call the local City Hall and ask for the Transportation Section/Department.

No. They are an app only. They have no customer service number. You can use the Help function key on the app to get assistance.

The California Public Utilities Commission does not handle moving company complaints. You should contact the Bureau of Household Goods and Services at: 916-999-2041 or HomeProducts@dca.ca.gov.

The Commission’s Consumer Affairs Branch (CAB) handles complaints about utility companies. You can contact CAB at 800-649-7570 for complaints about your utility company. Complaints may also be submitted Online or in writing:

  • By Fax: 1-415-703-1158
  • By U.S. Mail: 
    California Public Utilities Commission
    Consumer Affairs Branch
    505 Van Ness Avenue
    San Francisco, CA  94102 – 3298