Before You Book Any Limo: 7 Questions to Ask
Two quotes for the same night can be hundreds of dollars apart. Before you choose the cheapest, ask every company these seven questions, including us. A licensed, insured, professional company will answer “yes” to every one without hesitating.
Are you licensed by the PA PUC? What's your certificate number?
Every company that carries paying passengers by limousine in Pennsylvania must hold a certificate from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC). The PUC itself advises consumers not to sign a contract with a limo service that doesn’t have one.
A certificate number you can look up yourself at puc.pa.gov or by calling the PUC at 1-800-692-7380.
- Yes
Yes. Luxury Limousine Service is PA PUC & DOT licensed. Our PUC certificate number is A-00111409.
Do you carry commercial for-hire insurance? Can I see proof?
A personal auto policy doesn’t cover paying passengers. Federal DOT minimums for passenger carriers are $1.5 million in liability for vehicles seating up to 15, and $5 million for vehicles seating 16 or more. Some operators skip this expensive coverage, and that’s how they quote low.
Proof of commercial for-hire liability insurance that matches the size of the vehicle you’re booking.
- Yes
Yes. All of our vehicles and employees are fully insured for for-hire service.
Are your chauffeurs employees or independent contractors?
An employee is trained, supervised and accountable to the company. A random independent contractor, like many rideshare drivers, answers to no one on the day of your event.
A company that hires, trains and directly manages its own drivers.
- Yes
Our chauffeurs are our employees, never independent contractors, and we’re in full control of who drives you.
Are your chauffeurs drug-tested, road-tested and safety trained?
You’re trusting this person with your family, your wedding party or your teenagers on prom night. Screening is the difference between a professional and someone with a car.
Pre-hire AND random drug testing, a road test, and ongoing safety training.
- Yes
Yes. Every chauffeur is fully trained, screened, drug-tested pre-hire and randomly, road-tested and safety certified before they pick you up.
For 16 or more passengers: does the driver hold a CDL with a passenger endorsement?
Larger vehicles, like most party buses and shuttle buses, require a commercial driver’s license with a passenger endorsement. Cheap operators sometimes put an unqualified driver behind the wheel of a bus.
A CDL with a “P” endorsement for any vehicle designed for 16 or more people.
- Yes
Many of our chauffeurs hold a CDL with passenger endorsement, which is what allows us to run our 20-, 24- and 27-passenger limo buses and shuttle buses.
Can I see the exact vehicle I'm booking, in person?
Many limo websites are brokers that don’t own any vehicles at all. They sell your trip to whoever is cheapest that day, and you find out what shows up when it shows up.
A real facility you can visit, and the actual vehicle that will pick you up.
- Yes
Yes, and we encourage it. Schedule a visit to our 20,000 sq ft indoor facility at 8 Apollo Dr. in West Wyoming, PA.
Who do I call if something goes wrong, day or night?
Plans change and flights get delayed. You want a real company that answers, not a voicemail box.
A real office, an after-hours line, and your chauffeur’s name and cell number before pickup.
- Yes
Our office is open 9am–9pm daily, rides run 24/7 once reserved, and after hours our line reaches a representative or a paging system that returns your call within minutes. We text or email your chauffeur’s name and cell before every trip.
Why the cheapest quote can cost you more.
Claims can be denied
If an uninsured or improperly insured vehicle has an accident, passengers’ insurance can deny the claim because the vehicle wasn’t covered for livery use.
You can be named
The person who signed for the rental can be named in a lawsuit along with the operator. Renting for your company? Your job and your employer are on the line too.
Something was cut
A quote 10–20% below licensed companies usually means something was skipped: insurance, licensing, driver screening, uniforms or maintenance.
Do the per-person math
A $150 difference for a group of 10 is $15 each, for licensed, insured, drug-tested chauffeurs and a vehicle you’ve seen in person.
Check a limo company with the PA PUC.
Before you sign anything, look up the company’s PUC certificate at puc.pa.gov, or call the PUC toll-free at 1-800-692-7380 to confirm a carrier’s status. Trips that stay within Philadelphia, or go to and from its airport, are overseen by the Philadelphia Parking Authority instead.
Then print the checklist, ask every company the same seven questions, and compare the answers side by side.
Choosing a limo company: common questions
How do I know if a limo company is licensed in Pennsylvania?
Ask for their PA PUC certificate number, then verify it at puc.pa.gov or by calling the PUC at 1-800-692-7380. Luxury Limousine Service’s certificate number is A-00111409.
Why are some limo quotes so much cheaper?
Legitimate companies carry for-hire liability insurance, license their vehicles, and hire, drug-test and train their chauffeurs. Operators who skip those costs can quote much lower, and the risk shifts to you and your passengers.
Does a party bus driver need a CDL?
Vehicles designed to carry 16 or more people require a commercial driver’s license with a passenger endorsement. Ask any company to confirm the driver assigned to your bus holds one.
Can I visit Luxury Limousine Service before booking?
Yes. Schedule a visit to our West Wyoming facility to see the vehicles in person and get help picking the right size for your group. Call (570) 823-5233.
We check every box.
PA PUC & DOT licensed, fully insured, with drug-tested employee chauffeurs since 1989. Get your quote and compare.