NLA and UTRC unveil preliminary findings at the GBTA Convention as illegal transportation networks increasingly use digital channels to appear legitimate
CHICAGO, Aug. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The National Limousine Association (NLA) and the University Transportation Research Center at The City College of New York (UTRC) have unveiled preliminary findings from a national study of illegal and unlicensed ground transportation operators across the United States.
Presented at the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Convention in Chicago, the findings point to a hidden duty-of-care risk for business travelers. Illegal operators use professional websites, social media and private messaging groups to mimic licensed professional private car service providers. Airports, hotels, convention centers and major events are recurring hotspots, while off-app and unlicensed trips can create gaps in commercial insurance, traveler tracking, driver verification and emergency response.
“Duty of care does not end when an employee leaves the airport terminal,” said Brett Barenholtz, President of the National Limousine Association. “Companies need confidence that the provider, vehicle and driver transporting their people are safe, properly licensed and fully insured. As illegal operators become more sophisticated, verification must keep pace.”
Led by Matthew W. Daus, UTRC Transportation Technology Chair, the study examines 17 major aviation and business travel markets: Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Dallas/Fort Worth; Detroit/Fort Wayne; Denver; Houston; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Miami; Minneapolis/St. Paul; New York; Orlando; Phoenix; San Francisco; and Seattle.
Preliminary Findings
The study’s early findings include:
- Illegal for-hire activity is evolving from street solicitation into organized, technology-enabled networks.
- Airports, hotels, conventions and major events are recurring hotspots, and off-app trips may fall outside standard insurance and platform protections.
- Passengers may be transported without verified driver screening, vehicle inspections or reliable trip records.
- Illegal operators avoid licensing, insurance, tax and airport-access costs required of legitimate providers.
- Fragmented enforcement can produce unclear jurisdiction and inconsistent penalties.
The preliminary legal review also identified at least seven states with laws expressly criminalizing rideshare or transportation network company driver impersonation: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
“Illegal transportation is no longer only a curbside problem,” said Daus. “It is a technology, jurisdiction and public-safety issue requiring coordinated enforcement, verification tools and updated laws.”
What Corporate Travel Managers Can Do Now
UTRC and the NLA recommend that corporate travel buyers and travel managers:
- Prioritize approved providers and booking channels whenever possible.
- Include ground transportation in sourcing and risk reviews, verifying licensing, insurance and airport authorization.
- Independently verify the company, driver, vehicle and trip details for exceptions.
- Educate travelers and maintain tracking, emergency communications and incident reporting.
Building a National Enforcement Framework
- Stronger authority, escalating penalties and coordinated enforcement at airports and major events.
- Updated laws addressing impersonation, illegal advertising, off-app solicitation and unlicensed digital dispatch networks.
- Verification technology, searchable licensing databases and license-number requirements for advertising.
- Traveler education through signage, QR codes and training for airport, hotel and venue personnel.
The study builds on a 2025 UTRC-NLA report in New York and New Jersey that helped advance reforms. The forthcoming report will provide travel buyers, regulators, airports, law enforcement and the professional private car service industry with a practical enforcement playbook.
About the National Limousine Association
The National Limousine Association is an organization responsible for and dedicated to representing the interests of the chauffeured ground transportation industry at the global, national, state and local level. It is the unified voice of this industry – linking transportation industry professionals from owners and operators to suppliers, manufacturers, regional and state limousine associations. With 1,400+ NLA members, the Association is committed to exceeding expectations with regard to professionalism, transportation efficiency and safe riding. For more information, visit: www.limo.org.
About the University Transportation Research Center at City College
The University Transportation Research Center (UTRC) at City College is one of ten original Centers established by Congress in 1987 with the recognition that transportation plays a key role in the nation’s economy and the quality of life of its citizens. The Center at City College represents USDOT Region II, including New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, functioning as the lead institution of a consortium of twelve universities and conducting research in critical areas related to transit, intermodalism, infrastructure and regional funding and pricing. Learn more here: www.utrc2.org.
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SOURCE National Limousine Association
