How To Create A Freedom Plan To Let Go Of The Reins

As a company matures, so do its long-term key people. They know who you are, what you expect and should know, and share your vision for company operations. Young people can and do deliver fresh perspectives and ideas, and should be encouraged to share them with you. By allowing them creativity, you can get a sense for how they would perform while you are sipping Mai Tais on the beach.  

Why You Started Your Own Business
I think it’s safe to say everyone who opens their own business has a dream of becoming wildly successful and rich. Such dreams propel a business to success. No one who enters the transportation business does it because they want to give up their current lifestyle for one that involves 24/7 interruptions, and endless stress in delivering impeccable service on every ride, every time. We probably had visions of a secret room where we count and stash the stream of money from our business. We assumed life would be better as we set our own work hours, schedules, and meetings. As a business owner, you are in control. Or are you? Can you walk away at any moment and the ship will stay its course while you take an impromptu four-day weekend? If the answer is no, it’s time to reclaim your life and let go of those reins.

Why You Should Own Your Business
Owning your properly managed business allows you the freedom to spend time with your family while making and spending money. If you are visiting Disneyland, your company is still transacting business and bringing in cash. The business is your “cash cow.” The beauty of owning your business is you can transfer it to your children. They may choose to work in the business, eventually take it over, and transfer it to future generations.

Are You Running Your Business, Or Does It Run You?
In my 27-year career in this business, I have watched most of my peers let their business run them — ragged. I have watched a friend take a reservation on the golf course causing us to allow another group to play through our hole while the order was booked. The calls going out to find a chauffeur to cover the run awaited us at the next hole. I have been walking through a grocery store buying cases of bottled water while providing quotes. I have left the middle of a concert with an operator who responded to a vehicle with a flat tire. Really?  When you play a round of golf, have a key employee who can cover phones for three hours. Don’t spend your valuable time going to buy bottled water. Send a chauffeur at the end of a trip and pay them an extra 30 minutes. If you are paying $15 per hour, the $7.50 you spend is a great investment. Act like a business owner instead of an errand runner. Teach your chauffeurs how to change a tire during the training process. Help may be far away, and changing a tire isn’t that difficult. Have a roadside service on contract. Act like a business owner and pay people to do these things while you enjoy the concert.

Developing Your Freedom Plan
To live the dream of going where you want uninterrupted, you must first develop your Freedom Plan. This is the plan of who is in charge of what in your absence. Who is the key decision maker? This person must be trusted to make decisions on your behalf without needing to call you for advice. When you choose the person to put in charge, you will need to prohibit any calls to you unless it’s a catastrophic event. They need to be strong enough to grab the bull by the horns and throw it on the ground if needed. They should have the authority to terminate anyone at any time for any reason they deem appropriate. You may think giving someone that much power is foolish. If you would like to enjoy the perks of a business owner, you simply must give up the reins for short periods, and eventually, forever.

Selecting The Decision Maker
I suggest you choose someone who has been on your staff for at least three years and knows all aspects of the business including reservations, vehicle management, scheduling, accounting, and people management. Look for natural born leaders instead of trying to make someone a leader. Don’t decide to promote someone simply because she’s been with you the longest. Don’t worry about hurting feelings. Business is business, and remember, you want to be sipping Mai Tais or hitting golf balls and not on the phone with your office during those times. Pick the “best of” from who you have.  

Don’t worry about giving that person a title yet as you start your Freedom Plan. The last thing you want to do is bestow a fancy title on someone only to determine in the long run they could not do the job to your expectations. If you want to call them anything, call them a PIC (Person In Charge). This clearly defines the position at any time. From there, you may refer to the person as assistant manager, operations manager, general manager, or simply a manager.

The Freedom Plan
Once you have a PIC selected, start your plan by granting full authority while you are in the office. Let him make all decisions. Provide gentle guidance if it isn’t done your way. Teach her your way. Share your thought processes and why you do what you do. Encourage her to come to you if in doubt about how to handle a situation, but ask how she would handle it if you were not there. If the answer isn’t what your answer would be, allow him to share his reasoning for the decision. If it’s acceptable, let him run with it. This conveys your trust and confidence in your PIC, and helps develop good leadership and confident decisions. But if it doesn’t regularly sit well with you, you may need to find someone else.  

When you are confident in the person’s ability to exercise good judgement, then you can reward yourself by enjoying the fruits of your labor. This step resembles a baby’s first steps. Your infant business is about to become a toddler. Take a four-day weekend. Avoid the urge to call and see how things are going. No news is good news. However, encourage your PIC to call you during the first few trial runs if he needs help or guidance, but let him know your dream is to have a work-free weekend. Eventually, having the PIC take over on weekends or during vacations will allow you to have the life a business owner should have. Get out of your office!

Keywords

business management   executive training   Management   owner-operators   staff management   staff training   work-life balance   

 

Follow @lctmag on Twitter

via Limo News http://ift.tt/2fvH6m3

Layoffs Feared As Uber Shuts Down Leasing Unit

Uber employees are nervous about an expected round of layoffs, according to a source familiar with the company.

This after news broke that the company is considering shuttering its US car leasing business.The two-year old leasing program, founded under then CEO Travis Kalanick, is losing far more money than planned, reports the Wall Street Journal’s Greg Bensinger.

Business Insider article here

Related article: Kalanick Will Not Return As Uber CEO

Keywords

leasing   TNCs   Uber   vehicle leasing   

 

Follow @lctmag on Twitter

via Limo News http://ift.tt/2fvJZU0

Study Finds 11% Of Drivers Distracted

Eleven percent of drivers are distracted behind the wheel, with cell phones representing most of the distractions, according to a newly updated study conducted in Ohio’s Mahoning Valley.

Automotive Fleet article here

Original Study 2016

Updated Study for 2017

Keywords

cellphones   distracted driving   driver safety   research and trends   

 

Follow @lctmag on Twitter

via Limo News http://ift.tt/2fwjFZI

Inspectors Ready To Enforce CA Stretch Limo Retrofit Law

PALM DESERT, Calif. — Operator Gary Cardiff may have been the first limousine fleet owner in California to be officially told his stretch limousines must comply with the state’s long-awaited limo retrofit law, effective Jan. 1, 2018.

On July 18, his company, Cardiff Limousine & Transportation, the largest chauffeured fleet in the Coachella Valley, received a visit from California Highway Patrol inspectors for a first-ever terminal inspection on his three stretch limousines. Cardiff is used to such inspections for his majority bus fleet, but this visit serves as an alert to traditional stretch limousine operators statewide. The CHP reminded Cardiff of the law, and it resulted in one of his three stretches being required for a retrofit.

“I don’t live off limousines, but you still have a lot left in California,” said Cardiff, who contacted LCT about the inspection. “I’ve got a new one with a roof hatch, a fifth door, and an engineered window escape.” In addition, Cardiff plans to sell one of his stretches and retrofit the third. While his company gets most of its business from bus clients and groups, he keeps a few stretches for weddings, funerals, and quinceaneras.

The retrofit law, known as SB109 and now officially California Vehicle code 378, affects stretch limousines carrying 10 or fewer passengers.

• If a stretch limousine has a fifth door, it needs either two pop-out window emergency exits OR a rooftop escape hatch.
• If a stretch limousine does not have a fifth door, then it needs two pop-out window emergency exits AND a rooftop escape hatch.

The CHP’s modified limo inspection sheet requires that pop-out windows, also referred to as push-out, must be installed by an independent engineering firm or the manufacturer, and must be certified according to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). The sheet also lists specific minimum window dimensions.

The official language on what vehicles qualify:

378. (a) Limousine means any sedan or sport utility vehicle, of either standard or extended length, with a seating capacity of not more than 10 passengers including the driver, used in the transportation of passengers for hire on a prearranged basis within this state.
(b) Modified limousine means any vehicle that has been modified, altered, or extended in a manner that increases the overall wheelbase of the vehicle, exceeding the original equipment manufacturer s published wheelbase dimension for the base model and year of the vehicle, in any amount sufficient to accommodate additional passengers with a seating capacity of not more than 10 passengers including the driver, and is used in the transportation of passengers for hire. For purposes of this subdivision, wheelbase means the longitudinal distance between the vertical centerlines of the front and rear wheels.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB109 on Oct. 11, 2013 to take effect on Jan. 1, 2015. Since then, the Greater California Livery Association succeeded several times in getting the enforcement date delayed until Jan. 1, 2018, arguing operators and coachbuilders needed time to figure out how to do the retrofits. GCLA President David Kinney ruled out the possibility of anymore extensions to the enforcement deadline. “The last time I testified, they told me not to ask for an extension.”

The retrofit law came in response to a horrific stretch limousine fire on May 4, 2013 on the San Mateo Bridge near San Francisco, in which five women celebrating a bachelorette party died when they could not escape the 1999 Lincoln Town Car 120-in. stretch. Four other women got out and survived.

A state investigation determined the fire was caused by an obscure series of catastrophic factors that so far have not been identified as causes in any other stretch limousine fires or accidents. The limousine also was carrying one passenger beyond its legal safety limit (in the limo compartment), and the chauffeur failed to immediately pull over when hearing the first warning of smoke from a passenger.

Kinney told LCT this week he so far was not aware of any other operators receiving visits, but the CHP has trained inspectors on the details and procedures of the law.

He estimates 80-85% of California operators have never received a terminal inspection from the CHP. With this law going into effect, it will be a first for inspectors and operators, especially those with smaller fleets that have traditional stretch sedan limousines. “Now all those people will have CHP officers knock on their doors.”

That could lead to some misinterpretations or misunderstandings until enforcers get used to the law. The code also contains some vague language on some of the details, he said.

For example, during the CHP visit to Cardiff on July 18, the inspectors claimed a Cadillac XTS sedan stretched only six inches for added legroom qualified for a retrofit under the law. Cardiff and Kinney had to clear up the confusion with the CHP, and in an email dated July 28, a CHP administrator wrote to Kinney that Cardiff’s “limousine with a six-inch stretch is NOT a modified limousine by definition.”

Kinney reiterated, “It is the GCLA’s understanding vehicles that are stretched or modified but DO NOT increase passenger capacity do not meet the definition of a ‘modified limousine,’ and therefore are not subject to the new modified limousine safety or inspection requirements.”

He advises operators to ensure they have all of their legal and regulatory paperwork in order, including insurance, workers’ comp, drug-pull program records, and any fleet-related maintenance and inspection records.

An added concern is what coachbuilders are available to do the retrofits. Estimates vary, but a retrofit involving windows and roof hatches can range from $5,000 to $10,000 depending on the scope of the work.  

“We’re not sure who’s doing retrofits. It gets into a whole liability issue. Who will do it?” Kinney asked. [LCT has reached out to Quality Coachworks in Ontario and Tiffany Coachworks in Corona to see if the coachbuilders are available for retrofits, and will update with any new information. American Limousine Sales of Lynwood responded Wednesday it may be able to retrofit windows or a roof hatch but not a fifth door].

The traditional Lincoln Town Car stretch limousine was last built for the 2011 model years, with the MKT cross-over vehicle model succeeding it as the official Lincoln limousine. For operators with older stretches, it may be worthwhile to sell them and buy new ones in compliance.

Ryan Silva, owner of Epic Limousine in San Diego and a GCLA board director, said he has ordered a stretch limousine to be custom built that complies with the new California law. He advises operators to make sure any limousine they plan to purchase will meet the new standards before putting any money down.

“I sold my stretches and am having one built. It’s a challenge, but I’m having one built based on what an inspector said would work. It can be very vague.”

Silva also pointed out older sedan stretches now straddle the $20,000 range in the used vehicle market, so an operator may be better off buying a new stretch than sinking $5,000 to $10,000 into a stretch worth only two or three times that amount.

Overall, the new law could help relieve the constant problem of illegal operations, Kinney said. “I think it is good for the industry and will make it safer. If 85% of industry has no enforcement, then some operators can skirt the rules leading to unfair competition and not taking care of public. This could help the industry become more compliant with rules and regulations, the riding public will be safer, and it could reduce accidents and injuries in our industry. That could filter all the way down.”

California operators with any questions or concerns about the limo retrofit law can call the GCLA Help Line at (213) 440-4634 or Tom@gcla.org.

Keywords

California operators   David Kinney   Greater California Livery Association   limousine fires   passenger safety   regulatory enforcement   Safety   state regulations   stretch limousine   

 

Follow @lctmag on Twitter

via Limo News http://ift.tt/2hP2zqG

A Passion For Compassionate Transportation

EAST ELMHURST, N.Y. — Just because one cannot walk, it shouldn’t preclude experiencing the luxury of chauffeured transportation. Just like farm-in and farm-out work, moving the differently abled takes more attention to detail and caring.

Unique Accommodations, Similar Service

Vili Korn, owner of VR Worldwide Inc., and Cory Zucker, executive VP of sales and marketing, have worked together to ensure clients in the New York tristate area have access to a dignified ride. After starting the business with wheelchair accessible vehicles under the name Vega Transportation Company in 1985, Korn decided to downsize his large fleet and only deal with high-end consumers. He renamed the company VR Worldwide in 1987.

“His goal was to provide a level of luxury for those in the ADA world who weren’t used to,” Zucker says. “He was one of the pioneers of revolutionizing the quality of service for ADA vehicle transportation.” While Zucker was hired to handle the sedan and SUV side of the business, he has learned the ins and outs of ADA business during his time with the company.

Fast Facts

Location: E. Elmhurst, N.Y.

Owner: Vili Korn

Founded: 1985 (under the name Vega Transportation Company); 1987 (Became VR Worldwide)

Vehicle types: Sedans, SUVs, vans, and minicoaches

ADA fleet size: 12 (includes wheelchair lifts)

Total fleet size: 42

Employees: 19

Website: http://www.vrwwinc.com/

Phone: (866) 302-2201

To maintain the quality of their business, the focus must be on customer care, he says. “You have to pay extreme attention to people’s needs; it’s unique and unlike any other form of transportation,” he says. Every client getting into a vehicle has very different needs, and you have to stay attuned.

For example, depending on where a customer lives, he might need several people to help get down flights of stairs. For every reservation, you have to check on what it entails to just get the person into the vehicle, Zucker says.

“You have to find out what type of wheelchair they operate, as well as the total weight capacity for the lift in the vehicle,” he says. Older passengers often require more attention, so the company will send a driver more familiar with providing the kind of service needed. “Every detail no matter how big or small [affects] every ride.”

Established Reputation

To succeed, generate good word of mouth, Korn says. Especially in the age of email, Facebook, and Yelp, people in the ADA community talk to each other all over the world. If you don’t maximize your client care, people will hear about it.

“That’s why we get clients from countries all over the world who want to use us when they come to visit the New York tristate area,” Korn says. They’ve worked with people from Great Britain, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Poland, and Africa, and have provided service for gatherings at the UN, IRS, and FBI. “You name it, we’ve worked with them.”

This level of prestige only comes with proving yourself time and again, Korn says. You have to constantly be punctual, keep your vehicles in pristine condition, and select and train the right kind of drivers. Communication and being on time are most important, he says.

Every driver must have a TLC driver’s license and pass a fingerprint background check. The company only hires applicants who have worked with wheelchair accessible vehicles in the past, and they are required to train up to four days.

This includes hospitality training which teaches them how to properly handle clients with special needs. This and a fair wage has helped the business keep some drivers for 17 years. “The people who work with us tend to stick with us,” Korn says.

Passed by Congress in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the nation’s first comprehensive civil rights law addressing the needs of people with disabilities, prohibiting discrimination in employment, public services, public accommodations, and telecommunications.

Source: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

In Demand

VR Worldwide is often the go-to company for affiliates with ADA transportation demand. “There are people who won’t use us for sedan work because they are happy with other long-term relationships they’ve had for 20 plus years — but when it comes to ADA transfers, we’re the only name they’d consider,” Zucker says.

For operators interested in serving this niche market, Zucker suggests incorporating the same level of service you would for regular sedan work. “A lot of people still do it like it was a Medicare/Medicaid job, but the need for a luxury version is out there and it’s definitely, to some degree, not being met.”

There’s so much demand worldwide that the company is looking to affiliate with more businesses running ADA compliant vehicles (see side box). If operators are unsure where to start, go to your local government agencies handling transportation rules and they’ll guide you, Korn says.

“The population is getting older and people are living longer. More are getting to a point where they can’t walk…that’s why I feel this is a good niche to work in,” Korn says. As self-driving vehicles become more of a threat to the industry, there’s seemingly little talk about robots that can load people in wheelchairs in and out of vehicle yet.

To stay ahead of the game, Korn and Zucker attend trade shows focused on learning, acquiring, and providing the latest technology and amenities for their clientele (see side box).   

— Lexi@LCTmag.com

Learn More, Earn More

One such event is the National ADA Symposium, the premier conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act. During the past 20 years, it earned the reputation as the most comprehensive training event available on the ADA and disability related laws. Information: http://ift.tt/2vjM8aK

Source: National ADA Symposium website

Cory Zucker is working with operators to create a list of affiliates specifically for luxury ADA transportation. If you are interested in being a part of this endeavor, please contact him at corey@vrwwinc.com or (917) 525-9999

Keywords

ADA vehicles   Cory Zucker   Millennials   mini-buses   New York operators   sedans   shuttle vans   Specialty Vehicles   SUV   

 

Follow @lctmag on Twitter

via Limo News http://ift.tt/2vjY2Bw

How To Be The “Go-To” Company

KENMORE, Wash. — Family businesses are all about continuing a tradition. While you must never forget the humble roots you came from, you also have to keep up with the times.

Jess Sandhu, co-owner and vice president of A&A Limousine & Bus Service, started working for his father at the age of 21 and has since helped grow the company into a one-stop-tech-savvy-shop for any and all affiliate and client needs.

You Need It, They’ve Got It

A&A operates sedans, stretch limousines and SUVs, Sprinters, limo buses, and mini coaches. “By diversifying our fleet, we keep our executive and mini coaches busy during the week, and on the weekend party buses and stretch limos go out,” Sandhu says. “When you have vehicles to fit the needs of any potential clients, word gets around you’re the go-to guy in your city.”

As tech giants in Seattle expand their reach in Washington, they’ve created a big niche for group transportation, which inspired buying minibuses.

Growing To Love Limos

Sandhu’s father started the company in 1994 after one year of working for another limousine business. In 1996, he began to focus his services on airport transportation. In 1998, Sandhu was old enough to drive commercially in Washington and drove a 1986 60-in. stretch ECB Lincoln Town Car limo for the first time to his own party.

He didn’t always dream of working in the industry, and thought about going into computer programing. “I hated staring at the screen all day long, which ironically is what I do now anyway,” he jokes. “I was driving part-time during college for my dad and saw this business had potential. I also just really love cars.”

Moving into coach buses in 1998 is something Sandhu views as the company’s biggest success. They have kept growing by a couple of buses every year and have never looked back since. “We were surprised by the response we got from clients hiring a bus from us versus a regular coach company. Limo companies have been known to provide a higher level of customer service than a regular charter company, from the friendlier chauffeur to the condition of the bus.”

Word To The Wise

It’s important to be nice to other local companies, Sandu said. “Although they are your competition most of the time, there’s plenty of work to go around.” He offers his local affiliates something they do not have from coach buses to party buses, because not many want to deal with higher insurance limits or DOT inspections.

He credits employees for the company’s success. He believes if you treat them right, they will always remember it. “We’ve had four employees who came back to us this year after leaving us for various reasons because they’ve seen what a difference there was.”

Sandhu tries to preschedule his chauffeurs at least a week in advance so they’ll know their schedule ahead of time, and also tries to make it so they have fixed days off. “We try to accommodate them as best we can.” Being flexible is a must when retaining employees.

As clients become more accustomed to reserving transportation and planning trips via online portals or apps, Sandhu wants to ensure his company isn’t left behind. “We’ve gotten good feedback by implementing Book.limo on our website, and the end goal is to become totally automated,” he explains.

Locally, he’s seen many limo companies cut their fleet sizes or close their doors completely because they simply could not compete with TNCs. “It’s sad, but we will keep setting the bar high so we never have to worry about meeting the same fate.”

Keywords

affiliate networks   buses   customer service   employee benefits   employee management   employee retention   family businesses   mini-buses   party buses   Seattle operators   technology   Washington operators   

 

Follow @lctmag on Twitter

via Limo News http://ift.tt/2wu7VLD

ABC Companies, Van Hool Mark 30 Years As Family Ventures

Since the two family owned and run businesses joined in 1987, the shared vision of Van Hool and ABC Companies has centered on developing and relationships with customers.

With a unique premium European product offering, supported by ABC’s established distribution, sales, parts and service network, the partners continue to distinguish the brand and demand for the Van Hool product in the American marketplace.

From the start, both families understood that listening and responding to customer needs would be crucial to success. Over three decades, Van Hool has modified equipment models and introduced ongoing series of fully-Americanized versions that have steadily gained popularity, grown market and mindshare, and increased customer loyalty year in and out.

“There are many key turning points in our history together,” said Roman Cornell, ABC Chief Commercial Officer. “And it’s exciting to see where the breakthroughs occurred.”

Most notably was the breakaway success of the Van Hool C2000 series introduced in 2000. Built exclusively from the top down for the North American market, within a year it not only became the most popular imported coach in the U.S., it also outsold all the other imported coach models combined. 

“Customers loved this product because it was the direct result of listening to their input,” Cornell said. “While they know to expect premium quality and support from Van Hool and ABC, I believe what they really appreciate is the hands-on aspect of working with both of our companies.”

Today, with more than 10,000 Van Hool coaches on the road, and three generations of ABC and Van Hool family leadership, the brand dominates the highway coach private market segment. “Customers know that we are just as invested in surviving and succeeding as they are,” said Filip Van Hool, CEO of the eponymous firm. He believes the family-oriented cultures at ABC and Van Hool makes it easy for customers to do business with their firms. Van Hool says the arrangement brings significant benefits not applicable when transacting with a larger corporate structure.

“Our priority is to give customers the confidence and the solutions they need to support their operations,” Dane Cornell said. He believes ABC’s entrepreneurial business approach supports that goal. Cornell notes few manufacturers can claim that they’ve had three generations actively run a successful business, a trait they share with many operators throughout North America.

Accessibility and access within both organizations often results in product modifications directly forged by customer needs and preferences. A few prime examples of customer collaboration include the introduction of the Van Hool TD925 double deck coach. This double deck coach delivered a high-capacity solution to Coach USA for the launch of its Megabus market expansion and is the go-to solution for many Silicon Valley employee shuttle programs. More than 600 Van Hool double deck coaches in the U.S.

Similarly, the CX35 Van Hool model was introduced to answer operator calls for a smaller version of the popular CX45 foot coach with a reduced passenger capacity that would not sacrifice the “big coach” look, style, and feel. The new CX35 model has been another success with orders exceeding expectations and thanks to standardized design and manufacturing and numerous interchangeable parts with the 45’ version, operators can realize significant parts, as well as driver training savings when running both models in their fleets.

The partners are committed to future-looking innovation and investments that contribute to greater control and efficiencies for their customers and business strategies. Plans to expand and strengthen their parts business supply chain will afford faster access to needed components for customers, Roman Cornell said. “We envision growing our supply chain and distribution network to tightly sync with operator requirements when and where support is needed all over North America.”

Cornell also references the numerous technologies emerging each year that can make operations more efficient. “ABC and Van Hool are focused on rapid technology adoption, and whenever possible being first to market with tech-driven solutions for our operators.”

Source: ABC press release

ABC Companies is a leading provider to the transportation industry with diverse product and service offerings that cover a full spectrum of operational needs including new and pre-owned full size highway coach equipment and specialty vehicles. ABC supports customers with a comprehensive after sale service network for service and repairs, collision services, extensive OEM and quality aftermarket parts needs for transit, motorcoach and heavy-duty equipment from nine strategically placed locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, private and municipal financing and leasing options are available through the company’s financial services group – one of the largest financial service providers within the industry. Information: ABC Companies at (800) 222-2875 or visit http://ift.tt/1sfD6S6  

Keywords

ABC Companies   buses   charter and tour operators   motorcoach operators   motorcoaches   Van Hool   vehicle sales   

 

Follow @lctmag on Twitter

via Limo News http://ift.tt/2wu7QaN