Chauffeur Arrested For Stealing Luggage

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Police at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport arrested a man who was stealing luggage from the baggage claim area. That alleged thief was an on-duty chauffeur who was supposed to be picking up travelers. 

CBS Minnesota article here

Keywords

airports   criminal incidents   driver behavior   employee issues   human resources   Minnesota operators   

 

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Will Driverless Cars Be Too Sensitive?

Indulge me for a moment on three technology related rants:

1. While using a self-checkout at a Wal-Mart last month, the station froze up twice because it kept sensing something amiss, accusing me via screen prompt of improperly placing an item on the bagging platform. All I did was scan the item and place it next to the bags. I had to twice flag down a clerk who entered a secret code to unfreeze the machine.
2. Several times this year, my hotel card key signaled red when inserting into the door lock. I had to go down to the front desk each time to get rekeyed. In one instance, my smartphone had demagnetized the card key, while in other instances, I couldn’t find a reason.
3. While trying to extend my metered paid parking, two of four touchscreen self-pay kiosk portals were out of order. Long lines ensued. We left and found parking elsewhere.

These episodes got me rethinking all the tingle-talk I’ve heard about the wonders of driverless cars. Recent polls show growing public skepticism, including among the social-media-tech-savvy Millennials. If more basic self-checkout machines, self-pay portals, and hotel key cards routinely malfunction because of over-sensitivity, then how will digitally complex driverless vehicles deal with uncertainty, risks and unexpected situations?

Governments will subject self-driving vehicles to stringent safety rules, and levy all types of I.T. requirements. Which means programmers must plan for every possible circumstance and allow no margin for error — no injuries or lawsuits. What about below situations that require human common sense?

• Person in a crosswalk: Would a driverless car literally wait until no foot is in the walk and the pedestrian has cleared the intersection by at least 10 feet?
• Freeway traffic backed up 1,000 feet from your exit: Would a driverless car stay in its lane and wait? Or would it do what we all do: Inch over to the shoulder and drive a clear path to the exit?
• Emergency vehicle overrides: How would driverless vehicles pull over to let the vehicles pass? Or would the driverless car network trigger a lengthy “system shutdown” in a multi-block radius of wherever emergency vehicles are traveling? God bless the stricken, but imagine the wait times and detours.
• Accidents: We all use our judgment on whether we need to stop and help or if the situation is under control and we can move on. What would driverless cars do? Another overly cautious “system shutdown?” What if you need to stop and help but the soulless car whisks you away? Driverless cars will have technical glitches — think of Toyota’s sudden acceleration problems.
• Weather: Would a driverless car confuse a hailstone with an accident impact? Automatically drive 20 mph slower in a drizzle? Avoid roadways with a ¼-inch of snow? And here’s my favorite challenge to driverless cars:
• Suicide jumpers: That’s an only-in-L.A. thing. Last year, while my wife and I were traveling on the freeway, we hit a standstill. A distraught man at the edge of an overpass bridge was depressed about something that was none of my business or of any other stuck motorist. Police set up massive balloon platforms across all lanes that resembled those inflatable bouncy padded rooms for kids’ birthday parties. After realizing this drama could go on for hours, motorists started making reverses and U-turns toward the nearest exit, which required slowly popping your tires over a low-curbed median. We criss-crossed our way through South Los Angeles (“South Central” in 90s-era gang movies) until we could get back on the right path. What would a driverless car do?

Maybe technology will figure out all the unexpected obstacles based on real-time traffic monitoring and GPS-based re-routing. I’ve read all the optimistic predictions of driverless vehicles zipping through intersections inches apart in a constant flow sans traffic signals. We also may need fewer vehicles since they’ll be used more efficiently as travelers lease, rent, or own shared cars.

What concerns the public is the governmental quest for safety, which would snuff the human instict for control. People fear a regulatory structure with the default positions of wait, go slow, not now. Will we be able to override our mobile cubicles? Open the door and get out when we want? American culture has a long tradition of independence, mobility, and personal autonomy. Driverless cars go against our collective psyche just as on-demand consumer choices and expectations are killing off patience.

And if you think road rage is bad now, picture the multiplied stress levels among a slowly moving, safety-pampered public fuming at being boxed in, controlled, and wondering, “Why is my cubicle stopping again?” The government might have to mandate vandalism sensors in driverless cars to bust and fine us if we dare to rage against the ghosts in the machine.

Keywords

autonomous vehicles   driverless cars   Editor’s Edge Blog   industry trends   LCT editor   Martin Romjue   safety   self-driving vehicles   traffic assessment   vehicle technology   

 

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A Note Of Encouragement And Advice

So it happened that I was attending my competitor’s trade show in Miami to listen to the keynote presentation of Terry Jones. Jones was an International LCT Show keynote speaker years ago.

What I really love about his message is that you have to continually embrace change. We don’t live in a world where businesses can enjoy a steady and consistent cycle like in the old days. Since we’re not going back, we have no choice but to embrace innovation and open ourselves up to self-evaluation on a daily basis, and understand what’s working for us, and what’s not.

We need to be mindful that “responsiveness” is our key to success. It’s that simple.

During Jones’ presentation, I particularly bought into how being open to new technology and pursuing every business sales opportunity can make you more money. In the travel space, there are literally dozens of booking sites similar to the two Jones created, Travelocity and Kayak, and he advises us to embrace them all.
In our industry, there are many new on-demand apps being created that promise to bring new leads your way. It’s LCT’s mission to report on everything that is unveiled in this marketplace. It’s up to you to take advantage of the information.

I remember a few years ago when the Lincoln Town Car plant shutdown and the product was officially retired. The following year at our International LCT Show, the expo floor was packed with manufacturers looking for market share opportunities. We even had to hold a special OEM panel to include Ford, Cadillac, Toyota, Hyundai, Audi, Mercedes and BMW. We put them on the main stage so everyone could listen to them, and they answered questions about each of their company’s livery programs.

Here we are today with some of those same OEMs gaining traction in our marketplace, while some have moved away from our niche. It was a tough ordeal for this industry to have to rethink its fleet strategies, but you all have survived and some have even thrived.

Fleet decisions, good or bad, can make or break companies. Folks, so can technology. The operating systems and mobile technologies being launched are critically important, and just like in my fleet example, there will be some tech players who’ll stay and some who’ll go. But that is for the market to determine.

I recognize there’s a bit of a panic in the air. I’ve heard the forecasts that this industry has six months to live and so on. Well it’s not true. Our industry has been affected by Uber, but for both the good and the bad. Remember, it’s thanks to them that chauffeured transportation went mainstream.

There’s no doubt their technology rocks and we must copy that, but we are a strong group and a growing population. Group business is expected to rise by 12% in 2016, and business travel forecasts are excellent for next year. Resist the urge to make rash business decisions based on feelings of desperation or stress.
Do your homework and approach all of this with confidence. Technology may be scary, but in the end it will replace overhead and streamline profits.

No pain, no gain.

Keywords

apps   LCT Publisher   on-demand service   Sara Eastwood   staying competitive   

 

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How To Quickly Plan For LCT-NLA Show East

No matter how long you have been in the business, benefits abound for everyone who attends the LCT-NLA Show East.

Why Go?
Many operators believe after 20 or more years in business they know everything about operations and could teach any of the classes. Nothing could be further from the truth. Twenty years ago, DOT laws differed. We took reservations on paper. Operators lacked GPS tracking and social media options like Facebook and Twitter. Now, we must change with industry trends. Conferences offer the opportunity to supercharge your business with new ideas, technology, and most importantly, compliance with labor laws and DOT laws.

Office Coverage
Cited as the number one reason for not attending a trade show are concerns about who will run the business while you are away. Your staff should be cross-trained to perform your duties, so if you become ill or injured, your business can keep running. Show schedules are designed with breaks to allow you to return important business calls. If you are a one-man show, train a family member, friend or chauffeur to provide basic information about your company and take detailed messages. You can use call-forwarding to route your calls anywhere for the few days you are gone. You also can forward calls to your cell phone and pre-record a message stating that your company is involved in a training activity to improve the service you offer and calls will be returned soon.

Travel Plans & Budgets
The number two reason cited for not attending trade shows is the cost of travel, hotel and meals. Education and networking is vital to the success of your business and setting aside $100 a month for conferences should be considered an investment, not an expense. Most conferences, including LCT East, include lunch each day, and there are many hospitality mixers with food and free beverages provided by sponsors. Hotel rates are always negotiated for attendees and rooms are as low as $69 per night for LCT East. Start a savings account and make monthly or weekly deposits if you need to. The payoff of this savings account will be far greater than any interest the bank pays as you grow your business.

Plan Your Days Before You Arrive
Don’t show up at a conference without a plan. Choose goals in advance. Do you want to learn a better way of training your chauffeurs, or do you want to network with other operators and affiliate managers? Perhaps you need to be inspired by a keynote speaker. Make your own schedule based on your needs and the show agenda. Dress for success, but plan for comfort. Good shoes are a must for all the walking among classes, networking events and vast showroom floors.

Not A Vacation
While LCT conferences are held in exciting partytown places such as Las Vegas, Miami Beach and Atlantic City, you are not on a full-time vacation. Every day is a workday full of opportunities and options. If you get sidetracked gambling late into the night, catching a show or sleeping in, you will miss out. You should treat your conference visit as a business meeting instead of a recreational retreat.

Taking It Home
Once you get home, teach your staff what you have learned. Take notes or record sessions. Conference classes contain many handouts. Make copies and share with others so the company benefits. If you meet people during networking events who might help you develop your business, send them a follow-up email to remind them of who you are and your location. Put new ideas into practical use.

Keywords

Atlantic city   How To   industry education   Jim Luff   LCT-NLA Show East   limo tradeshows   networking   small-fleet operators   staying competitive   tradeshow preparation   

 

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Almost There: Attendees Arrive This Weekend For East Show

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The countdown to the annual LCT-NLA Show East closes in, as operators throughout the East Coast — and beyond — will gather this weekend at Harrah’s Resort and the adjacent Waterfront Conference Center for the annual East Coast industry show that kicks off Sunday, Nov. 8 and runs through Tuesday, Nov. 10.

If you haven’t checked out the outstanding educations sessions that are guaranteed to help your business prosper and grow, go here.

In addition, past show attendee surveys have requested more networking time at the show, and we’ve responded with ample planned networking sessions, social events and parties to showcase your company to potential affiliate partners, meet industry suppliers, create new friendships, and discuss pressing industry issues with the National Limousine Board of Directors, regional association boards, and like-minded fellow operators.

What makes attending the annual show in Atlantic City a good return on your investment is it’s affordable, including discounts for multiple staff members. The event feeds and quenches attendees through  an array of  food and beverage offerings, after-hours hospitality takeover at three venues on Nov. 9, and show floor meals.

Who’s coming? Check out the “who’s who” of the industry who are already registered here and the sold-out exhibition floor where suppliers will display the latest vehicles, technologies, services and products.

Registration is still open, but must be done onsite at the LCT registration desk in the Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center.

REGISTRATION RATES & DETAILS

 

 

Keywords

Atlantic city   Eastern U.S. Operators   Harrah’s   LCT-NLA Show East   limo tradeshows   networking   tradeshow preparation   

 

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