Report 2013-130 Recommendations and Responses in 2015-041
Report 2013-130: California Public Utilities Commission: It Fails to Adequately Ensure Consumers' Transportation Safety and Does Not Appropriately Collect and Spend Fees From Passenger Carriers
| Department | Number of Years Reported As Not Fully Implemented | Total Recommendations to Department | Not Implemented After One Year | Not Implemented as of 2014-041 Response | Not Implemented as of Most Recent Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Utilities Commission | 1 | 13 | 8 | N/A | 8 |
Recommendation To: Public Utilities Commission
To ensure that passenger carriers submit accurate fee payments, the commission should require its fiscal staff to implement a process to verify passenger carrier fee payments and associated revenue.
Response
See one-year response.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Not Fully Implemented
- Completion Date: 11-15-2015
- Response Date: October 2015
Recommendation To: Public Utilities Commission
To ensure that it resolves complaints against passenger carriers in a timely manner, the commission should establish a method for prioritizing complaints and it should implement a policy specifying the maximum amount of time between the receipt of a complaint and the completion of the subsequent investigation. Further, the commission should require branch management to monitor and report regularly on its performance in meeting that policy.
Response
See one-year response.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Not Fully Implemented
- Completion Date: 12/31/2015
- Response Date: October 2015
Recommendation To: Public Utilities Commission
To ensure that the branch conducts thorough investigations of passenger carriers, the commission should implement a formal training program to ensure that all investigators have adequate knowledge and skills related to regulating passenger carriers.
Response
See one-year response.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Not Fully Implemented
- Completion Date: 12/31/2015
- Response Date: October 2015
Recommendation To: Public Utilities Commission
The commission should require staff to examine and formally report on the feasibility of impounding the vehicles of passenger carriers that refuse to comply with commission orders or that refuse to pay citation penalties and also on the feasibility of making use of the Tax Board's program for intercepting income tax refunds, lottery winnings, and unclaimed property payments to collect unpaid citation penalties.
Response
See one-year response.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Not Fully Implemented
- Completion Date: 12/31/2015
- Response Date: October 2015
Recommendation To: Public Utilities Commission
To ensure that it complies with state law and uses passenger carrier fees appropriately, the commission should implement a process to ensure that passenger carrier fee revenues more closely match related enforcement costs.
Response
See one-year response.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Not Fully Implemented
- Completion Date: 12/15/2015
- Response Date: October 2015
Recommendation To: Public Utilities Commission
To detect and deter carriers from operating illegally at airports, the branch should use as intended the five positions added for passenger carrier enforcement at airports. If the branch chooses not to designate five positions solely for this purpose, then it must be prepared to demonstrate regularly that an equivalent number of full-time positions are working on this activity.
Response
See one-year response.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Will Not Implement
- Response Date: October 2015
Recommendation To: Public Utilities Commission
To strengthen its leadership and ensure passenger carrier and public safety, the branch should produce a draft strategic plan by December 31, 2014, with a final strategic plan completed as the commission specifies. The strategic plan should include goals for the program; strategies for achieving those goals, including strategies for staff development and training; and performance measures to assess goal achievement.
Response
See one-year response.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Not Fully Implemented
- Completion Date: 12/31/2015
- Response Date: October 2015
Recommendation To: Public Utilities Commission
To better ensure passenger carrier and public safety, the commission should create a system to determine when a carrier merits a penalty and what the magnitude of the penalty should be. In addition, to be an effective deterrent, the amount of such penalties should be more consistent with what state law permits.
Response
See one-year response.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Not Fully Implemented
- Completion Date: 12-31-2015
- Response Date: October 2015
Recommendation To: Public Utilities Commission
To ensure that it does not further overcharge the transportation account, the commission should require the branch to review annually all branch staff funding distributions and align them with recent time charges.
Response
We have a policy in place requiring BCOs to do an annual review of home based codes against their timesheets. The review is performed under the guidance of a new SSM I in the Budget Office who works exclusively on position and budget control for all CPUC positions.
- California State Auditor's Assessment of Status: Fully Implemented
- Completion Date: July 2015
- Response Date: September 2015