FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Illegal process at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has been stuck via Local 10 News’ hidden cameras.
Its process that some consider is striking the general public in critical threat.
Licensed and legit taxicab drivers say what’s occurring is costing them large greenbacks, and Local 10 News noticed little to no enforcement at all.
Within seconds of strolling out a door at Terminal 1 of FLL, Local 10 News’ Jeff Weinsier was once faced via a girl who mentioned she is an Uber driving force.
A person parked in the back of her in a Kia, she mentioned, was once additionally an Uber driving force.
After declining her be offering, the girl, together with the person within the Kia, eave their automobiles unattended at the curb.
They in fact walked throughout the terminal and solicited any other arriving passenger.
When a Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy approached, the pair went again to their automobiles and were given within, as though to go away, however as soon as the deputy left, they once more exited their automobiles and went again into the terminal.
What they are doing is against the law, its dangerous and its taking cash out of the wallet of official cab drivers who pay masses of bucks to be at the airport legally.
Weinsier went as much as the girl and requested what she was once as much as.
“Hey, how are you? Question for you. I’m Jeff Weinsier. I’m an investigative reporter at Channel 10. Are you allowed to be asking people for car rides here?”
“Wait, hold on, let me park my car and I will talk to you,” the girl spoke back.
She then were given in her automotive and took off, virtually hitting any other car all through her getaway.
As for the person parked in the back of her within the Kia, he additionally took off after being faced via Weinsier, however most effective after denying that he was once doing the rest unsuitable.
Minutes later, Weinsier walked via a crimson Mazda SUV, and the window began coming down.
“Are you waiting for an Uber?” the person requested.
“I’m waiting for a ride. Are you Uber?” Weinsier spoke back.
“Yeah, I’m uber,” the driving force mentioned. “Where do you wanna go?”
“I’m trying to get to Miami,” Weinsier replied.
“How much are you willing to pay?” the driving force requested.
“You are ride share?” Weinsier mentioned. “I’m OK. I have someone coming.”
Later, Weinsier noticed a person in a blue blouse running the door, confronting passenger after passenger.
He in the end were given an aged couple to agree.
The guy who was once soliciting was once riding a minivan, and the ones folks were given into his automotive with out realizing who he was once or the path he was once taking and their whereabouts weren’t being tracked, find it irresistible would in the event that they booked in the course of the Uber app.
Weinsier watched this move on for hours, and not using a enforcement, regardless of a reoccurring overhead announcement that said, “Unattended vehicles will be promptly ticketed and towed at the owners expense.”
On a 2d discuss with, a number of weeks later, Weinsier walked out the similar terminal door, and looking forward to him was once someone else seeking to promote a trip, claiming to be an Uber driving force.
Sam Saintflorante has been a cab driving force for 17 years.
He is authorized and controlled and will wait as much as 3 hours in so much at FLL earlier than being known as to the terminal for a pickup.
“That’s everyday, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he mentioned of the fake Uber drivers. “They are always there. They are robbing us.
“Sometimes we work 18 hours. We have a background check. We have to pay for the license. And one day, I hope not, but one day something is going to happen.”
Arnold Myrotil has been a taxi driving force for twenty years.
“We always call and complain,” he mentioned.
Arlene Satchell is a spokesperson for the Broward County Aviation Department.
Weinsier requested her how this has been allowed to move on.
“It’s not that it is allowed to go on,” she mentioned. “It is definitely an illegal activity. There is no way for us to control an entire span curbside. We agree it is a safety issue for certain and that is why we are addressing it and have been addressing it.
“We have recently launched a ground transportation enforcement team and their sole responsibility is to walk the curbside, both upper and lower level and other areas, looking for these types of bad actors if you will.
Satchell says the airport is looking to expand their seven member ground transportation enforcement team that she says works in tandem with the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
“The cab drivers say it is not fair, that they complain and it goes on deaf ears. Do you agree with that statement?” Weinsier requested Satchell.
“Absolutely not,” she spoke back.
Satchell mentioned 42 tickets for solicitation violations have been written between June and December of remaining 12 months. Eight undercover operations have taken position and 21 trespass warnings have been issued via BSO. Also, 27 citations have been written via the Broward Consumer Protection Division remaining 12 months for unlawful solicitation. She says the general public has to their section too.
“There is signage in every terminal that tells people beware of these operators,” she mentioned. “That it is risky behavior. It’s unsafe.”
“I’m just surprised, I was here for several days, for hours on end, and I didn’t see the enforcement you are talking about,” Weinsier mentioned.
“I can’t speak for that specific time beyond the fact I know enforcement is ongoing, Satchell said. “There is room for improvement. That is part of the process of trying to run an airport, to attend to safety issues.
“If they are coming back, they are taking a risk themselves to potentially be arrested.”
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