A federal judge has granted class certification status to a group of Nevada limousine drivers suing the state's largest limo company, claiming Bell Trans failed to pay drivers for time spent on the job while they were not transporting passengers.

The landmark case marks a test of Nevada's complex wage and hour laws by drivers, who have historically been paid according to how productive they are in obtaining fares rather than for hours worked.

Since the recession, drivers of taxis and limos in Las Vegas have taken home slimmer paychecks that in some cases fall below minimum wage, triggering a rash of complaints with the Nevada Labor Commissioner, as well as the Bell Trans suit, filed last year.

While limo drivers aren't entitled to minimum wage under state law, the drivers may pursue a claim that their employer violated the law by not paying drivers at all for time worked, U.S. District Judge Robert C. Jones said in his order Tuesday.

Drivers say this includes time spent washing and maintaining their vehicles, retrieving their limos at the beginning of their shifts, driving to the airport and waiting for fares.
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