New Jersey Operators Progress On Stricter TNC Rules

TRENTON, N.J. — Not only did the Limousine Association of New Jersey (LANJ) raise a whopping $21,465 at its annual dinner-auction meeting May 18, LANJ President Jason Sharenow shared good news on TNC regulation legislation.

In fact, on Thursday, May 19, a state Assembly Transportation Committee panel advanced a proposal to create a statewide standard for TNCs by mandating companies pay an annual permit fee, hold a two-tiered insurance policy, and enforce background checks that could include fingerprinting.

Further, another bill passed through the Assembly that will eliminate the sales tax on service as well as recraft the insurance regulations for for-hire companies like LANJ members. 

“The sales tax collected by limo companies puts us at a 7% disadvantage right off the bat. The TNC’s do not collect it, why should we?” Sharenow said. “We are happy legislation has been introduced to move towards leveling the playing field.”

Sharenow (Broadway Elite), Pete Corelli, PAC chairman (Lakeview Custom Coach), and Board Director David Seelinger (EmpireCLS Worldwide) traveled to Trenton Thursday to continue lobbying for stricter TNC regulations. Obviously, their effort helped move the legislative needs on leveling the playing field.

Added Corelli, “We have our fingers crossed the TNC and sales tax legislation will move forward. It was a good day for LANJ and New Jersey operators.”

LANJ issued a statement today on the outcome of the Assembly legislation: “We applaud Assemblymen Lagana, Singleton and Wisniewski for introducing statewide regulation for Transportation Network Companies like Uber and Lyft to avoid patchwork local rules that create an uneven regulatory system, but unfortunately, more is needed to adequately protect the riding public. To properly regulate companies like Uber and Lyft, mandatory fingerprinted background checks are a must to ensure a comprehensive background check.

While Uber may object, fingerprinted background checks are not only required in the for-hire transportation industry, but are also routinely required for teachers, nurses, mortgage brokers and others. Our legislators established these requirements because of the importance of public safety. Why would New Jersey want to lower the standards that protect its citizens?

NJ.com article here

Keywords

LANJ   legislation   Limousine Association of New Jersey   new jersey   New Jersey operators   regulatory enforcement   state regulations   TNCs   

 

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GCLA Resets Local Meetings Format

LOS ANGELES — The Greater California Livery Association (GCLA) deals with logistics like no other limo industry trade group. It has to fight for thousands of operators in a state with an 840-mile coastline and an economy ranking in the top 10 worldwide.

To bring its message and activities to more operators, the GCLA will launch a regional meeting format in June and July at different locations across the state’s vast and distinct northern and southern halves.

“Everyone is so busy it’s become impossible to get many people to travel from San Diego to Los Angeles, from San Francisco to the San Fernando Valley,” said GCLA executive director Tom Garrett, citing past locations for general statewide meetings.

“The most obvious solution to test out is to have smaller, local community events and still deliver what we’re hearing our members want: networking, getting ideas and feedback, while still belonging to a unified industry so you’re not struggling alone.”

The seven regional meetings are scheduled from June 6 to July 25 and will be held in the evenings in the 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. timeframe. Each meeting will have unique speakers and presentations, but common networking opportunities and state legislative and regulatory updates, Garrett said.

“Each event will be organized by a local GCLA board member who will be the one to push promotions and be the onsite host,” Garrett said. He estimates each event could attract about 100 attendees.

The GCLA recently posted meeting dates and locations, with agendas still to be announced:

• Monday, June 6: San Diego meeting at Maderas Golf Club
• Wednesday, June 22: San Fernando Valley meeting at Music Express in Burbank
• Wednesday, June 29: Sacramento meeting at API Global Transportation
• Tuesday, July 12: Orange County meeting at Classique Limousine in Orange, owned by GCLA President, NLA board director, and meeting host Kevin Illingworth
• Wednesday, July 13: San Francisco meeting, Embassy Suites SFO, Burlingame
• Wednesday, July 20: Inland Empire meeting, TBD
• Monday, July 25: Los Angeles meeting, 4 Points Sheraton West/Los Angeles

Most meetings are free, but a few will require a fee. All include dinner and offer cash bar drinks. Non GCLA members are welcome to attend.

Also on the GCLA schedule this year:

• Saturday, Sept. 24: Annual Poker Tournament fundraiser, Acton/Socal Penske Professional Vehicles / Penske Cadillac Buick GMC dealership, Torrance
• Tuesday, Oct. 18: Lincoln Continental Showing Party, South Bay Ford-Lincoln, Hawthorne. Craig Hall, Ford/Lincoln Limousine & Livery Vehicles program coordinator and fleet marketing manager, will host the event.
• Tuesday, Dec. 6: Northern California Holiday Party & Meeting, Napa Ford-Lincoln, Napa
• Tuesday, Dec. 13: Southern California Holiday Party & Annual GCLA Meeting, TBA

Keywords

California operators   GCLA   Greater California Livery Association   limo associations   networking   state regulations   

 

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Arrow Stage Lines Gives Back To The World

OMAHA, Nebraska — Beyond moving buses throughout the U.S., Luke Busskohl, COO of family-owned Arrow Stage Lines, believes in helping others. The company has done work with many of their local charities and The Salvation Army, but had never really given an official name to these projects.

“Our company has always wanted to be people of giving,” Busskohl says. “We want to keep growing with different charities and doing different things to make an impact not only on local communities, but also worldwide.”

Thus, the aptly-named Hero Project was born. While Arrow Stage Lines continues support on the community level, they felt it was time to widen their scope. After much consideration, the company teamed up with charity: water, an international charity organization dedicated to ending the world water crisis.

LCT has reported on the importance of and rewards that come with giving back to your community in past articles. Many companies donate their time, money, and manpower to make special events happen out of the goodness of their hearts and a genuine desire to help those less fortunate than themselves.

“We looked around at a bunch of different charities, but what we really liked about charity: water is the money goes to building wells where people don’t have clean water,” Busskohl says. “We just thought that was awesome and loved how transparent and informative they are.”

Ariana Malushi, a brand partnerships account executive for charity: water, says this openness is why companies choose to donate. “100% of all public donations directly fund water project costs. We prove every project we build using photos and GPS coordinates on Google Maps, and we work with strong local implementing partners to build and maintain projects.”

Arrow Stage Lines will donate $1 per charter trip sold to charity: water. The campaign began on World Water Day, March 22, 2016, and the company has set up a webpage for those who would like to donate personally to the cause.

At the time of this article’s publication, they have raised $3,465 to provide 115 people with clean, safe water. There are 41 days left to donate.

“It has always been important to our company and family to help support those in need,” said CEO & President, Steve Busskohl. “The Hero Project helps uphold what we believe in as a company.”

Luke adds, “I think it’s important for every industry to give back. I think it’s part of our calling as individuals to help those in need and to serve others…Hopefully it’s important for others too, because I think it makes a huge impact.”

To see a video detailing the work charity: water does, click here.

If you are interested in starting your own campaign, click here

Keywords

charity   community involvement   donations   motorcoaches   Nebraska operators   WebXclusive   

 

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TNCs Get Caught With Their Pants Down

No Pants, No Service: A driver for Chinese Uber-equivalent Didi was arrested after he picked up his passenger with no pants on, Mashable reports. When the passenger, Xiaoshang, noticed there was just a pair of shorts covering the driver, she immediately got out of the car. Cosmopolitan article here

Massachusetts School Says “Just Uber It” To Special Needs Student: A mother said she is outraged after her daughter’s new school sent an Uber to bring her to class. Nicole Williams said a school bus was supposed to come and bring her 13-year-old daughter Arianna to school. Not only did the ride arrive late, Williams said the school sent an Uber to pick up her daughter. WHDH 7 News article here

London Uber Drivers Face Numerous Sexual Assault Allegations: Uber drivers are accused of sexually assaulting or raping customers almost three times a month, according to new figures which have outraged rape campaigners. The Independent article here

Fox Sports Reporter Has Horrifying Uber Experience: Fox Sports reporter Kristine Leahy is now the latest victim of an unfortunate Uber incident and she tweeted out her horrifying story on Friday morning. According to Leahy, she once left her keys in an Uber three months ago and still has not gotten them back after all this time. As Leahy tells it, she first couldn’t get in contact with anyone, and when she finally did, she gave them her address so they could send the keys to her. They never came, and because Leahy didn’t pick up the keys in the first 45 days of them being there, the company has since moved them to an unknown location. After all this time, she still hasn’t gotten the keys to her apartment back. UPROXX article here

Keywords

China operators   criminal incidents   driver behavior   London operators   Massachusetts operators   Sexual Assault   TNCs   Uber   

 

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