WLA Unites With Other State Orgs

WLA President Mike HartmannWith the Badger State becoming one of the newest battlegrounds in the industry’s ongoing fight to bring TNCs to regulatory betterment, the Wisconsin Limousine Association (WLA) continues to work with local airports and transportation officials for the safety of the riding public.

WLA President Mike Hartmann of Stardust Limousines and other members and regular supporters have been frequent fixtures at various transportation-related meetings, with the most recent being the October 2-4 installment of Wisconsin Association of Taxicab Owners’ (WATO’s) annual meeting. WATO’s legislative director is Gary Goyke, who’s not only WLA’s legal advisor but also working with Hartmann on the Wisconsin Coordinated Transportation Cooperative (WCTC), a group of private transportation professionals representing all sectors of the state’s transportation all working together to promote statewide passenger safety. WCTC held its own conference during the annual meeting, as Hartmann and the WLA are embracing every avenue possible to get out their message.

In the face of Uber’s recent partnership with Miller Lite that promises passengers discounted rides to the Green Bay Packer’s Lambeau Field, association members have also discussed ways to get the word out that TNC drivers’ lack of proper vetting and insurance can spell disaster for their passengers.

To further its commitment to passenger safety, WLA has also been collecting a donation to help support Ride Safe World, a nonprofit organization committed to improving operational standards for not only TNCs but also taxis. The initiative was born of a recognition that TNC’s emergence means that “transportation markets and the general public around the world have had to contend with uninsured rideshare accidents and a drastic inflation in assaults on customers by (TNC) drivers who are not vetted or properly trained in providing commercial transportation.”

Ride Safe World’s administrator Justin La Plante has asked the WLA to help expand the company’s networking reach in order to ensure that the nascent company has the funding and support it needs to carry on, and the association has jumped at the chance to welcome a new voice to their side.

As the neighboring Illinois Limousine Association (ILA) has been down similar paths before and shares several overlapping operators with the WLA, the two associations have been joining forces to fight the good fight and spread their message with a united front.

The next WLA conference call will be October 18.

Visit wisconsinlimo.org for more information. 

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