Why Bigger Fleets Aren’t Always Better

RALEIGH, N.C. — Everyone’s familiar with the phrase “quality over quantity”; even though it’s a cliché, there’s a reason it’s often said — it’s true. Chris Cardo, owner of Raleigh Dream Limos, has seen firsthand the benefits of keeping your fleet a manageable size.

Focus On What Matters

At one point, Cardo owned six stretch limos, but sold most of them and invested in a newer fleet consisting mostly of limo buses. He now owns three LGE buses and one Hummer stretch.

“As we all know, buses are way of the future, so that’s why we decided to go that route. The limo buses provide a much better experience for our clients,” he says. Staying small has helped the company maintain a focus on keeping the interior of the vehicles in a “like new” condition. Cardo replaces seats frequently and orders new interior parts directly from LGE.

Downsizing slightly has only had a positive effect on ride quality and his clients’ experience, Cardo says. “As a result, we actually became more profitable.”

Focus On Your Passion

Although he didn’t aspire to own a chauffeured transportation company, a friend who owned one introduced him to the industry.

“I was in college at the time and began researching the industry,” Cardo says. “Immediately upon graduation, I purchased a white stretch Hummer and Raleigh Dream Limos was open for business.

“I’m very glad I chose to enter this industry. It’s always a pleasure to provide a great experience for people and have them be extremely happy with the service they received. It’s obviously great to make money, too.”

As a younger operator, he believes his technology awareness and how it’s changing the transportation industry allows him to better plan for the future and insulate his business model from potential risks from technology advancements.

Online reviews can make or break you now, and Cardo relies on his solid digital reputation. “We receive a lot of repeat business, which is great, because it means our clients enjoyed our services so much the first time they would like to experience it again,” he says. “It’s imperative you always take care of your customers, no matter the cost.”

Focus On The Future

Excited about the industry’s potential, Cardo plans to incorporate as much technology into his business model as possible.

“As an industry, we need to keep pushing forward. I know many operators, including myself, are nervous about the future. However, I feel there will be many opportunities for growth. I believe a lot of our future lies in the hands of the vehicle manufacturers,” he says.

“I think the interior of the vehicles need to evolve to provide even more of a unique experience. I’m talking more from the view of a retail operator, but even with shuttle style vehicles, I think there needs to be an evolution of the interior, with more integrated technology and futuristic design. We need to be the ones who innovate in a way that keeps our industry and services relevant and useful to the world.”

Keywords

buses   LCTFast40   LGE Coachworks   Millennials   North Carolina operators   party buses   technology   WebXclusive   

 

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What’s On The Must-Have List For Younger Travelers?

Millennials, for better or worse, are disruptors. And there may be no industry more poised to take advantage of disruptive millennial trends than the field of business travel.

CNBC article here

Related: The Creative Ways Millennials Approach Business Travel

Related: How Do Millennials Define Luxury Travel?

Related: How To Take Advantage Of Millennial FOMO

Keywords

business travel   leisure travel   Millennials   research and trends   

 

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PAX Training Launches App For Chauffeurs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — PAX Training, an industry provider of certified, chauffeur training, announced the release of both the iOS and Android versions of their app to all member companies in the U.S. and worldwide. The app allows operators to easily train, test, and certify their chauffeurs, anywhere at anytime.

With the new app, each chauffeur will have 24/7/365 access to all of their training information. They can quickly refer to company specific procedures, client protocols, or complete the weekly ongoing training courses in between trips or while waiting at the airport. To learn how your company can benefit from PAX Training, visit: paxtraining.com

Related LCT article: Making Peace With Training And Turnover

About PAX Training
In Latin, PAX means Peace. PAX Training is a simple and effective on-line solution to train, test, and certify your chauffeurs with the industry’s best practices and an individual company’s custom content. Chauffeurs receive training in all aspects of chauffeuring with specific courses highlighting customer service, professional presentation, and driving safety. PAX also provides weekly training to keep them sharp and engaged.

Operators save time and money using PAX to consistently train their chauffeurs, attain affiliate work, find new affiliates, and advertise their professional team of chauffeurs to new and existing clients.

PAX Training was developed and is owned by Bruce Heinrich, the CEO and founder of LEADER Worldwide in Kansas City, Mo.

To learn more about PAX: PAXTraining.com. Find PAX member companies at PAXVerify.com

Source: PAX Training press release

Keywords

Bruce Heinrich   chauffeur behavior   chauffeur training   driver training   etiquette   Kansas operators   Missouri operators   PAX   

 

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PRLA Moves Forward With Lobbyist

PRLA President Steve RhoadsKing of Prussia, Pa. — The Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association (PRLA) met up July 19 for its most recent membership meeting, which President Steve Rhoads of Rhoads Limousine describes as “a short one where we got a lot done.”

With the association focusing its efforts on a level playing field—especially in terms of being granted the same 1-percent-of-revenue operating fee that taxis and TNCs are privy to instead of being charged per car—lobbying efforts dominated the conversation.

While the PRLA did see its members’ Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) fees reduced at the end of 2016, it is now working with a lobbyist from the firm Malady & Wooten to continue making Pennsylvania’s operational fees fairer for luxury ground transportation companies.

“We hired a lobbyist and are going through the process now of going through the Senate Appropriations Committee,” Rhoads said, explaining that the members of PRLA had to submit some operational numbers for analysis, which should result in an assessment for how to proceed. “The problem is we’re only 30 members and there are 200 limo operators in Philly. We did explain that but it seems like they’ll have enough information to evaluate how they want to proceed.”

He added that “there was a good response from most of our members” in terms of providing the data that would help PPA get a clearer picture of real numbers from chauffeured transportation operators.

“We had to move forward and get these guys to provide their numbers, or we’d have to roll the dice with what the PPA does next,” Rhoads said. “I was happy to hear that we had a great response.”

Rhoads further explained that, on the taxi side of transportation, medallion owners and drivers are at odds over who’s on the hook for the aforementioned PPA fees determined by overall revenue: “Nobody wants to pay it—we don’t want to pay it, either, but at least only paying 1 percent would put us on a level playing field.”

He added that there has been a newly proposed PPA per-ride fee—“like the hotel taxes you pay on the final bill”—under consideration as an additional line item, but that “it’s not quite there yet.” As it would be a very small fee to pass on, Rhoads surmised that the PRLA membership would be in support of it when the time comes for serious consideration.

The next PRLA meeting is tentatively scheduled for September 13.

Visit prlainc.com for more information.

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GBTA Convention Welcomes Biz Travel Professionals

GBTA Director of Strategic Partnerships Heather Haley (left) and CD Editor Madeleine Maccar Boston — Nearly 7,000 members of the international business travel industry convened at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center from June 15-19 for the 2017 Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Convention. Among them was CD Editor Madeleine Maccar, and more than two dozen luxury transportation companies were represented both as exhibitors and attendees.

L to R: Art Miesemer of RMA Worldwide, Brett Barenholtz of Boston Car, Tami Saccoccio and Dawson Rutter of Commonwealth Worldwide, Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide, Diane Forgy of Overland Chauffeured Services, and Lauren Nock of RMA Worldwide The theme of the GBTA’s 49th annual convention was “Convergence,” which was demonstrably on display with attendees flocking to the seaport city to learn, network, and evolve as a unified force benefiting the worldwide travel industry. Beyond that, the event’s agenda was crafted around supporting the theme by addressing the constant stream of new guidelines and trends that help airlines, lodging, technology companies, consumer products, media outlets, and scores of other business travel professionals provide the high-quality and safe services their customers depend on.

Education was a significant focus of the five-day event, with seminars, workshops, demos, multi-day sessions, certification programs, panels, and speakers all providing further insights into a range of topics. As the event encourages participation from all corners of the world, one of the prevailing educational topics was how to best navigate the geopolitical impact that global politics have on business travel and purchasing decisions alike.

L to R: Brett Barenholtz of Boston Car, Eddie McCoy of FASTTRAK Technologies, and Jeff Greene of Greene Worldwide TransportationThis year, the GBTA also released four reports coinciding with its convention, all of which comprise a series of new research the association has been conducting. The reports each fleshed out topics like the economic impact of business travel as it relates to microcosms such as job growth, global pricing forecasts, and travel spend projections and influencers for 2018.

L to R: Kelcy Peterson, Wayne Couturas, Alekzandra Guzman, and Daniel Aucar of Leros Point to Point CD will provide a detailed post-convention wrap-up and photo spread in its September 2017 issue.

The 2018 GBTA Convention will be August 11-15 in San Diego.

Visit gbta.org to learn more about the association, and gbta.org/convention for additional information about the annual event.

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New TLPA Dues Structure Offers More Choices

TLPA President Bill ScalziRockville, Md. — The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) recently announced a new membership dues structure aimed at giving fleet operators and nonprofit trade associations greater choice and allowing for greater savings. The new structure also provides flat-fee memberships for industry suppliers and public sector entities.

For fleets, the new structure departs from vehicle-based plans of the past and offers companies the option to choose among three different levels of membership service: Basic, Comprehensive and Leadership. Each level provides members with a range of benefits.

“This is the most significant dues structure change in over 40 years, which in the past was based on the number of vehicles in a member’s fleet and a single set of member benefits,” TLPA President Bill Scalzi said. “This modernized structure allows each fleet operator member and nonprofit trade association to evaluate their individual needs, and decide what is best for their business.”

The different levels of membership available to U.S. and International Fleet Operators and nonprofit trade associations provide varying levels of access to TLPA resources to best help members grow their businesses and stay abreast of industry trends. The three levels of membership are as follows:

•  
Basic membership allows a fleet or association to designate one representative to receive TLPA publications, such as the Ride-Hail News e-newsletter and Transportation Leader magazine. This level includes a membership directory and access to TLPA staff for questions and assistance. Organizations providing passenger service directly to the public are also listed in TLPA’s online Find a Ride tool.

•  
Comprehensive membership provides two additional team members with the benefits of basic membership, along with Legislative Alert and Special Report e-bulletins and access to the members-only Resource Center. Organizations at the comprehensive level are eligible to serve on the board of directors and most committees.

•  
Leadership membership builds on the basic and comprehensive benefits, expanding access to newsletters and publications to up to four people. At this level, fleets and associations can participate in exclusive legal, legislative and public relations briefings sponsored by TLPA. The leadership level also offers the ability to participate in leadership groups and potential profiles on the TLPA Fleet Forward Blog.

Additionally, TLPA is providing industry suppliers and public sector entities, such as state and local regulatory bodies, with a membership experience that provides greater insight into the for-hire transportation industry. These memberships have flat annual rates of $1,150 and $750, respectively.

The new dues structure and membership-service levels were effective July 15.

Visit tlpa.org/Join-TLPA for more information about membership, and tlpa.org to learn more about the transportation association, which is celebrating a century of operation this year.

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NELA Explores Importance of Lobbying, New TSA Program

(L to R) Tom Quill of Royale and Amela and Brion Svenson of Four Star LimousinePeabody, Mass. — The New England Livery Association (NELA) took to the waterfront June 20 for its most recent quarterly membership meeting, which brought together 65 members and vendors at Spinelli’s overlooking Suntaug Lake.

Executive Director Rick Szilagyi kicked off the meeting, welcoming all in attendance and both introducing and thanking the evening’s sponsors, Chosen Payments, Create-A-Card, and Livery Coach.

Szilagyi and the meeting’s first speaker, Scott Solombrino of Dav El/BostonCoach, both were among those representing the industry’s New England presence last month for the National Limousine Association’s (NLA’s) annual Day on the Hill. This year’s installment of the lobbying event put several NELA members in front of their elected representatives, including senators Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Solombrino, who is also a board member of the NLA, shared the details and successes of the boots-on-the-ground day in Washington, D.C., as well as how important it is to have those face-to-face conversations with the nation’s legislators so they have a direct line to the industry’s unique concerns and challenges.

Lyndy Burnham of The Hudson Group (left) with guest speaker Surface Transportation Security Inspector Salvatore Venturelli of the TSAThen it was time to hear from the meeting’s guest speaker, Surface Transportation Security Inspector Salvatore Venturelli, who was on hand to explain the TSA’s new First Observer Plus program. The plan aims to assist transportation professional in becoming proactive ambassadors of airport safety by teaching them how to identify suspicious activity, offering them guidance in assessing what they see, and providing a method for reporting those observations that may merit further investigation. Ultimately, according to Venturelli, First Observer Plus is a way to help transportation professionals become key players in the air travel industry’s ongoing efforts to thwart terrorist attacks.

Anyone interested in participating in the TSA’s First Observer Plus online training program can visit http://ift.tt/2uzLuE3 to find out more.

An array of raffles capped off the evening meeting, which included a pass to the 2017 Chauffeur Driven Show in Orlando this October that was won by Brion Svenson of Four Star Limousine.

Up next for NELA is the 18th Annual George Colarullo Memorial Golf Tournament, scheduled for August 8 at the Marlborough Country Club. Its next quarterly meeting will be September 12.

Visit nelivery.org for more information.

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Reston Limousine Hires New Marketing Manager

Marketing Manager Anna Wilkinson Dulles, Va. — Reston Limousine recently added Anna Wilkinson as the company’s new marketing manager to oversee all marketing, advertising, public relations, and community outreach for the company.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Anna to the Reston Limousine family, and excited to be working with her on exciting new projects coming up,” President and CEO Kristina Bouweiri said. Wilkinson replaces longtime marketing manager Therese Howe, who will be moving with her family to Hawaii.

Prior to joining Reston Limousine, Wilkinson was director of communications for a national waste and recycling company where she was responsible for many groundbreaking achievements for the company, both internally and in the public eye.

Wilkinson brings the same forward-thinking creativity and relationship focused marketing and public relations to Reston Limousine. Wilkinson will be spearheading some of Reston Limousine’s many exciting new initiatives and revamps to include; expanding social media presence, cultivating important new sponsorship opportunities, focusing on community and charitable donations, and strengthening partnerships and relationships with both affiliates and internal staff alike.

“I have long admired Reston Limousine’s management and reputation,” Wilkinson said. “I believe in people- and relationship-focused communication and Reston Limousine is a company that is a leader in both commerce and relationships. Their strong emphasis on family values and teamwork are convictions that are close to my heart as well. I am honored to be a member of this team.”

Visit restonlimo.com for more information.

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YPL Supports Discover Financial Services and the Boys & Girls Club of Lake County

Broadview, Ill. — Your Private Limousine (YPL) announced its support of the Discover Boys and Girls Club of Lake County (BGCLC) Internship Program, organized by Discover Financial Services and BGCLC. The program is an eight-week paid summer internship at Discover’s corporate offices working with qualified BGCLC participants. It runs from June through August, three days per week. YPL is proud to be the official transportation sponsor of the three 2017 individuals, providing safe and timely rides to and from Discover and the BGCLC.

After learning about the program and what a fabulous opportunity it would be to these teenagers, YPL President Tracy Raimer immediately knew that the company should be involved. She stated, “I honestly don’t believe there is any greater gift than to make a difference in someone’s life.”

Coordinated by Jill Haggerty, marketing project manager of Discover Services, the internship program allows teenagers to participate in a variety of business-world projects, such as marketing, meeting/event planning, website content, audit committee presentations, and learning internal audit professional practices. All individuals chosen must meet specific criteria and inherently possess Discover’s core values.

Founded in 2000, BGCLC works with young people, ages 13-18. It seeks to empower youth in the areas of academic success, healthy lifestyles, and good character and citizenship. In 2015 it served 1,400 youth.

 “With the help of corporate partnerships, such as Discover Financial and YPL, our vision of every child having the potential to do great things is brought to life,” said BGCLC’s Brittany Hayes-Fonder. “The internship with Discover is life changing… they learn life skills that will help every future endeavor. Our partnership with YPL allows our students to understand the concept of team work—not letting them down by being on time each morning and ready to work! YPL’s dedication to the internship is extremely powerful as they are also committing to our youth’s success. Three companies have come together to change youth’s lives.”

Visit yourprivatelimo.com for more information.

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Two Dudes In A Car: Blissing Out In The Lincoln Continental

Do you crave a Lincoln?

A Lincoln what, you might justifiably ask. A Lincoln biography? A Lincoln penny? A Lincoln, Nebraska? Then you might recall that Lincoln is a luxury car brand associated with Ford, and remember hearing something about Lincoln trying to make a comeback.

Yahoo Finance article and video here

Keywords

Lincoln   Lincoln-Continental   premium luxury sedans   

 

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Genesis G90 Rated Top Luxury Sedan In U.S. Quality Ranking

The flagship vehicle of the stand-alone sub-brand of South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. was No. 1 in the luxury segment for the 2017 Total Quality Impact report released this week by U.S. automobile market survey firm Strategic Vision, the carmaker said.

The Korea Herald

Keywords

Genesis G90   Hyundai   new sedans   premium luxury sedans   

 

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Limo Patriot Ride Ends ILCT With A Bang

Check out these scenes from the after-Show charity event. For more information, check out the article here.

Keywords

charity   ILCT 2017   industry charity   LImo Patriot Ride   Ron Stein   

 

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Limo Patriot Ride Blows Out The Show For Charity

LAS VEGAS — As the sun rose over Las Vegas March 16, 55 participants were loading up on buses outside the Palazzo Hotel for the Limo Patriot Ride. They could not have asked for better weather than the clear skies and perfect temperature of 70 degrees.

Semper Fi
The Limo Patriot Ride, now in its third year, benefits the charity group Semper Fi Fund. The non-profit charity was the vision of Karen Guenther, a registered nurse who was working with wounded Marines and Sailors as they returned home from Iraq for post-war care in 2003.

Guenther, along with other military spouses, realized the many challenges these veterans faced and began organizing “Welcome Home” parties and preparing bags of goodies to lift the spirits of these wounded heroes. They began fundraising for the parties, the goody bags, and even travel funds to get relatives into the Oceanside area to spend time with the vets.

Check Out The Gallery

Click here to see more photos from the event.

Eventually, the efforts grew into a full-fledged 501-C3 non-profit organization. What began as a personal project at Guenther’s kitchen table was expanded by Wendy Lethin, Dawn Olson, and Sarah Dalke who assisted in forming the non-profit corporation and making it a national organization. The core mission of the group is to provide immediate financial relief and deliver quality of life.

The success of Guenther’s dream expanded far beyond her dream of helping three wounded Marines. The organization now has a paid staff and hundreds of volunteers nationwide and overseas who have served thousands of vets as they return home from combat.

When operators Michael Callahan, Ron Stein, David Eckstein, Barry Gross, and Lynda Saitta learned of the foundation, they set their mind to help serve the cause as well. Under the guidance of Saitta, the 2017 Limo Patriot Ride was able to present a check to Semper Fi for $30,000 on behalf of the limousine industry.

Industry Support
The Limo Patriot Ride receives overwhelming support from some of the most prominent transportation companies in the industry including EmpireCLS, Grace Limousine, Flyte Tyme, Valera Global, Exclusive Sedan, Reston Limousine, and Signature Transportation to name a few. Many of the industry’s state associations also contribute to the cause including NELA, GALA, and the Virginia Motorcoach Association.

The event is also largely supported by many limousine industry suppliers and vendors including Titus Leasing, Chosen Payments, Grech Motors, Livery Coach, Transcap Insurance, Create-A-Card, and Book.limo.

During a pre-ride party held poolside the night before the ride, Ryan Hilberth of Rental Limo/Book.limo purchased $200 worth of raffle tickets and challenged other participants to match him. Within seconds, more than $1,200 in raffle tickets were sold as operators dug into their pockets quickly to match Hilberth.

The Ride
The ride kicked off after a food truck breakfast. The fare included the breakfast tacos, biscuits and gravy, and breakfast sandwiches with plenty of coffee.

This year, the Las Vegas-based Patriot Guard Riders lead the way. With riders to the front and rear, they were split into two groups for safety purposes with the Patriot Guards giving safety instructions to the group before departing to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.

A lunch was served at the end of the ride at the Railroad Pass Casino, and riders were free to return back to Eagle Rider Harley Rentals or spend the rest of the day out on their Harley. Many of the riders such as David Eckstein arrived in Vegas on their own motorcycles.

In addition to serving as a fundraiser, the event also served as another networking function of the International LCT Show, although it was not an official part of the show. Abdou and Hillary Louarti from Diamond Transportation in Tucson were participating for the first time and were excited about meeting new people while helping out for a good cause.

“This is going to be so much fun,” said Hillary Louarti as she zipped up her leather jacket and slipped her helmet on for the ride. Ron Stein gave huge credit to Saitta for her organizational efforts. “She has done an outstanding job of coordinating the ride.”

Related LCT articles:

• Limo Patriot Ride Gets LCT People’s Choice Awards
• 2015 Limo Patriot Ride Raises $15,000

Keywords

charity   ILCT 2017   industry charity   LImo Patriot Ride   Ron Stein   

 

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