Some Rules of the Road

Airport officials and some shuttle van operators have called for a tightening of the rules governing commercial passenger vehicles to improve passenger service and alleviate confusion and congestion at the airport. Here are a few of the most frequently abused rules of the Los Angeles Department of Airports as well as some solutions that the department has proposed:

* Van operators are allowed to announce their destination twice and then actively load passengers.

* No more than three vans from the same operator may stop at one time at a red curb traffic island.

* Vans may make a maximum of two consecutive circuits around the airport’s lower level roadway then must depart the airport and not return within 20 minutes even if the van is transporting only one passenger.

The Department of Airports is considering the following rule changes:

* Drivers would be prohibited from stopping longer than 45 seconds to solicit business, unless actively engaged in loading passengers.

* Van companies would be required to display a large destination sign atop the vehicle--not inside the windshield.

* Van companies would be required to install $50 transponders that would electronically track the number of times a van circuits the airport. The van would be charged a fee for each time that it completes the route, thus giving van operators an incentive to leave the airport more quickly.