Proposed Law Targets Party Buses

By San Francisco Limousine Specialist on January 14, 2011

A California lawmaker has proposed legislation that will close a loophole in an existing law and will make limousine companies responsible for underage drinking that goes on in their vehicles. Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, recently proposed Assembly Bill 45, also known as the Brett Studebaker Law, to be passed in the California state legislature. If passed, the law will require California limousine services, party bus operators and other group transportation companies classified as “carriers” to check the identification of all passengers and require anyone under 21 to sign an agreement not to drink while riding in the vehicle. Current state laws require chauffeurs to sign such an agreement before transporting passengers. If an underage passenger violates the terms of the agreement, the driver must terminate the contract and return all passengers to the point of origin.

The proposed law is named the Brett Studebaker Law after a 19-year-old passenger who died in an alcohol-related automobile accident last year. The young man was celebrating a friend’s birthday on a party bus. After the bus dropped everyone off sometime around 2 a.m., Studebaker crashed his car into a sound wall on Highway 101. He had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.26 percent, which is more than three times the legal limit. If passed, the law proposes fines beginning at $2,000 for a first offense, license suspension or revocation for a second offense and misdemeanor criminal charges for a third offense.

Whether this law is passed or not, it won’t affect how we manage alcohol and our underage guests. The way we look at it, when our underage guests rent our limousines, party buses or any of our other luxury transportation options for proms, birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties or any other occasion, it is our responsibility to make sure that everyone has a good time, but not too good a time.

We take our responsibilities to our underage and adult guests very seriously, and we want everyone to get home from an event safe and sound. If this sounds like the type of ethical San Francisco party bus company that you want to trust the next time you need a fun, practical and inexpensive way to transport you and up to 20 of your guests, call us at 1-800-339-8936. We have party buses, stretch limousines, limo buses and much more. If you’re planning an event, give us a call, and find out why we have become the premier Bay Area limousine service!