Luxury travel is hot. Multiple reports show consumers are choosing travel over hard goods when there is a choice.
Related article: 8 HOT Travel Trends For 2017
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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The annual LCT-NLA Show East is becoming quite the gathering venue for industry association meetings as the Limousine Association of New Jersey (LANJ), Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association (PRLA), and Florida Limousine Association (FLA) held member breakfast meetings during the three-day annual show and conference held Nov. 13-15.
Topics at the Nov. 14 meeting centered on updates on TNC legislation in their respective states, as well as fighting other regulator fees and taxes that target the private transportation industry.
LANJ President Jason Sharenow (Broadway Elite Transportation, East Hanover, N.J.) told more than 75 members and guests he expects a pending bill that will regulate TNCs to pass when the legislature meets again. “We didn’t get everything we wanted but we’re OK with what we got,” Sharenow said. Although the bill will provide stricter oversight and regulations for TNCs, mandatory fingerprinting background checks was not included.
On a winning note, Sharenow informed members a bill to eliminate the 7% sales tax levied against limousine companies is gaining traction having first passed through a legislative committee. Sharenow acknowledged LANJ legislative committee members Jon Epstein (Royal Coachman Worldwide Limousine Service, Denville, N.J.) and Pete Corelli (Lakeview Custom Coach) for “working tirelessly” to both lobby and testify before legislators to get the bill off the ground and moving forward.
Fighting Philadelphia Parking Authority
More than 35 PRLA members and guests — including members of the Virginia Limousine Association — attended the association’s breakfast meeting held on Nov. 15. PRLA President Steve Rhoads (Rhoads Limousine, Douglassville, Pa.) informed members the association is fighting hard to stop a new Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) vehicle assessment that more than doubles the registration fee per vehicle, from $404 to $868.
Rhoads said the association has petitioned a federal court to stop the assessment and the judge ruled in early November the hike will not be enforced until both the PPA and PRLA meet to iron out the matter. Rhoads said the PRLA is waiting for the PPA to respond.
A contingent of Virginia Limousine Association (VLA) members, including VLA President Paul Walsh (Superior Executive Transportation, Virginia Beach, Va.) also attended and shared time during the PRLA breakfast meeting to discuss common issues, such as airport regulations regarding TNCs.
National Limo Day?
The Florida Limousine Association held its breakfast meeting Nov. 14 touching on a variety of issues and topics. FLA President Rick Versace ( A1A Limousine, Boca Raton, Fla.) told members the association is formulating its strategy for the upcoming legislative session to propose legislation that would require all ground transportation drivers (taxi, limo, and TNC) to use fingerprint background checks.
Versace added the FLA is discussing putting together a Chauffeur Certification program and members of the Long Island Limousine Association shared how their program works.
On a national note, Versace said the FLA is proposing to create a “Limousine Operator Appreciation Week” culminating with National Limo Day. The idea will be discussed further to see if can gain traction with the National Limousine Association and Congress.
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On Nov. 21, Uber released a report on driver earnings, conducted by the company’s head of economic research Jonathan Hall and Princeton economist Alan Krueger. Hall and Krueger used data from a diverse group of drivers in 20 markets. They found most Uber drivers drive 15 hours or fewer per week, and the average Uber driver earns an average wage of $18.75 an hour, before expenses.
(Krueger was previously a paid consultant for Uber, but the company says he was not paid for his work on this study.)
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Maine Limousine Service of South Portland has acquired a Scarborough competitor.
The company, founded in 1987 as Flo Hutchins Limousine, announced it purchased Lilley’s Limousine, effective Nov. 14.
The purchase expands the fleet of Maine Limousine to include a Chrysler 300 limousine, 10 sedans, four SUVs, three vans, eight limousines, a shuttle bus and an antique Bentley. All Lilley chauffeurs have been offered jobs with Maine Limousine, says co-owner Teale Smith.
Portland Press Herald article here
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Like a Fitbit for vehicles, Nauto uses GPS and an accelerometer to track motion, then sends relevant data to the cloud for analysis. But it goes beyond, with cameras facing inward and outward. Nauto, used by car-fleet managers, professional drivers, and insurers, evaluates drivers with a credit-rating-like score.
At the same time, it uses artificial intelligence and a trove of anonymized data to gain insights into driver behavior. As it learns more, future vehicles using Nauto will better understand the people sharing the road and what they’re likely to do.
San Francisco Chronicle article here
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Carmakers and tech companies working on self-driving cars are pushing back against the Obama administration’s request to share data and safety specifications with the federal government. But they are expressing hope President-elect Donald Trump will continue the current administration’s approach to regulating self-driving cars, which has so far avoided making any concrete rules or mandates.
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ST. PAUL, Minn. — A Twin Cities limousine service owner says five of his vehicles have been stolen in recent weeks, including four in the past couple of days.
Most of the stolen Lincoln MKZ luxury vehicles have been recovered, but the damage has already been done. The company has had to take vehicles off the streets during a busy time of year.
“These people are very bold. They’re doing anything they want,” said Shaan Aziz, owner of AAccent Town Car and Limo Service in St. Paul. “These guys were speeding, they were drinking in the car, we found bottles of vodka in there, they were drinking and driving.”
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ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew Cuomo says upstate residents who want to see Uber in cities like Buffalo, Syracuse, and Rochester should call their state lawmakers.
The Democratic governor told reporters this week it will take public pressure to get lawmakers to support Uber’s expansion plan.
The app-based ride-hailing service is legally prohibited from operating outside of New York City. The company wants the Legislature to lift that ban when they return to Albany next year.
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