Van Service Often Drives Passengers to Despair : Transportation: Many say they are taken far out of their way. Other complaints include price gouging and verbal abuse.

Before boarding a shuttle van at Los Angeles International Airport, Howard More, who uses a wheelchair, told the driver his Pasadena address. To his astonishment, the van traveled first to Venice. Next, Hollywood. Then Burbank. The trip home took more than two hours.

“The driver knew exactly what he was doing in grabbing me, an exhausted, elderly, handicapped man,” said More, 79.

A review of consumer complaints indicates More’s experience is not uncommon. Residents and tourists alike report being captive in a van that repeatedly circles the airport or takes a circuitous route, zigzagging across the county to drop off passengers. In the worst cases, trips to nearby destinations sometimes took up to three hours.

During the last 22 months, 540 consumer complaints about shuttle service at LAX were filed with three entities: the Public Utilities Commission, which regulates shuttle operators; Los Angeles International Airport, and Shared Ride Management, a private firm funded by shuttle companies.

Most of the complaints--338--were filed with Shared Ride Management. One-third involved allegations that the driver attempted to overcharge. In one case, a Newport Beach physician landed in jail when he challenged the fare and the driver made a citizen’s arrest.

In another incident, a Westwood woman complained on behalf of a Japanese exchange student that the driver refused to give the young man his luggage and threatened to kill him when he questioned the fare.

A common grievance is verbally abusive drivers. Other passengers said that either their shuttle van never showed up or was so late that they missed their flights. When an Arcadia woman asked for restitution because she missed her plane, she was told that the company could not afford to pay money, but they did offer to mow her lawn.

Because no single entity monitors passengers’ complaints, it is impossible to determine whether consumer complaints have increased or diminished in recent years.

Larry McNeely, a supervisor with the utilities commission, said his agency receives few complaints because most customers don’t know the agency regulates shuttle operators. In 1992 and 1993, the agency received 111 complaints about shuttle service at LAX.

Shared Ride Management does not routinely report the complaints it receives to the airport or the utilities commission, said Bezhad Bitaraf, head of the industry group.

Shared Ride Management lacks a system to determine which carriers have had more than their share of problems. The company does, however, try to ensure that letters and, if necessary, refunds are sent to customers, Bitaraf said.

In addition to complaints about overcharging and long rides home, there are allegations of sexual harassment.

In separate incidents, two women have alleged that George Fahmi, owner-driver of Hidey Transportation, made unwanted sexual advances as they rode in his van. In a third incident, an Arizona woman reported that Fahmi repeatedly invited her to dinner and breakfast, after dropping her and her daughter off at their Anaheim hotel.

In an interview, Fahmi denied any wrongdoing.

In one case, he wrote to investigators that the female passenger had made a pass at him. In the other, he said he was simply trying to adjust the young woman’s seat.

Hidey Transportation, which has been the subject of more than 51 complaints since June, 1992, has been under investigation by the utilities commission for almost a year because of a variety of customer allegations, including sexual harassment and overcharging.

Meanwhile, Fahmi has been prohibited from driving at the airport and the company uses other drivers to transport travelers.