Custom 2018 Mercedes-Benz Metris Displayed at Toronto Auto Show

Toronto — Limousine/bus builder Absolute Styling has announced that it will be displaying its new custom 2018 Mercedes-Benz Metris luxury conversation van at the Canadian International Autoshow, scheduled for February 16-25 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The Vancouver-based company will exhibit the vehicle at the Mercedes-Benz Canada space on the trade show floor.

Absolute Styling President & CEO Lorenzo Armani said the van was met with enthusiasm at the Montreal Auto Show in January. “This Metris is our own conversion and design. It was fully tested and approved by both Mercedes-Benz Canada and Transport Canada.”

The six-person van is loaded with a full array of features, including suede interior and fully powered Benz seats with power leg rests, back massage, and heated chairs.

“We’re the only company here in Canada that does this kind of conversion,” added Armani. “Ultimately, our goal is to have vehicles in showrooms throughout Canada. We have a big presence in Western Canada and in the Mercedes-Benz corporate showroom, but we want to be on display across the country.”

Following the showing in Toronto, the certified Master Upfitter will demonstrate its new Metris at the 2018 Vancouver International Auto Show at the Vancouver Convention Centre (West) from March 28-April 1.

Visit absolutestyling.com for more information.

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Limo Anywhere Wins 4th Quarter 2017 LMC Circle of Excellence Award

President of Limo Anywhere Sean Arena
Dallas — Limo Anywhere is the recipient of the 4th Quarter 2017 LMC Group Circle of Excellence Award. Limo Anywhere won the award for excellence in social media.

In 2004, Limo Anywhere was founded to provide software solutions to the ground transportation industry. They saw a need for a comprehensive yet affordable instrument for small- and mid-sized operators. In the years that followed, they began to offer cloud-based and mobile options, eventually supporting more than 4,500 livery companies.

The LMC Group’s Social Media Manager Aleja Seabron started working with Limo Anywhere at a time when they wanted to expand their reach and openness through social media. For companies who deliver a service, responsiveness to customer questions, suggestions, praise, and problems is essential.

“Limo Anywhere had a clear understanding of their challenges and opportunities in providing customer service via social media,” said Seabron. “Even more importantly, they worked closely with The LMC Group to transform their efforts, including submitting staff photos and profiles so customers would engage personally with the company.”

Sean Arena, president of Limo Anywhere, found the experience of working with LMC on social media strategy beneficial.

“With over 4,700 operators across the globe, elevating our level of engagement becomes that much more critical (and challenging),” he said. “Through LMC, we have built a better social platform, enabling us to work more closely and collaboratively with our customers across every facet of the business. It is an honor to be recognized for what has truly been a team effort and partnership between Limo Anywhere and LMC.”

Visit lmc.group for more information.

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PRLA Works With Lobbyist, Forms Vendor Alliance

Bensalem, Pa. — The Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association (PRLA) changed up its meeting location for a February 7 meeting at La Cena.

Since Brightbill Body sponsored the meeting, there were several buses on display for members to check out throughout the evening, which Ken Ingram was on hand to discuss with meeting attendees.

PRLA has been pushing hard to make headway with the state, working especially closely with lobbyist Jodie Stuck of government affairs firm Malady & Wooten in regard to legislative matters. Both the Philadelphia International Airport’s and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s (PUC’s) fee structures have been an ongoing point of contention for members, given the uneven playing field it perpetuates with TNCs.

PRLA Lobbyist Jodie Stuck of Malady & WootenStuck, who was unable to attend the meeting but did provide an update prior to it, has helped draft HB-1977 and SB-1004, which propose an assessment fee of 1 percent of gross revenue for work done in the city instead of the $500 per vehicle fee that the city currently imposes. (TNCs currently pay a 1.4 percent levy of rides originating in the city, which is split between the Philadelphia Parking Authority and the city’s schools.) 

While those initiatives are gaining traction, however, the PUC did recently deliver a decidedly expensive blow to the industry.

PRLA President Steven RhoadsAccording to a press release from the PUC, the proposed rule, which was approved by a 5-0 vote, “would change liability limits for motor carriers transporting fewer than 16 passengers, increasing from $35,000 to $125,000 the minimum coverage for bodily injury, death or property damage incurred in an accident arising from authorized service. The new proposed $125,000 minimum coverage would be split in the amounts of $50,000 bodily injury per person (in place of the current $15,000), $100,000 bodily injury per accident (in place of the current $30,000) and $25,000 property damage per accident (in place of the current $5,000).”

Anyone wishing to comment on the proposed rulemaking must do so as soon as possible by referencing Docket Number L-2017-2604692 and submitting their comments to:

Secretary
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
Commonwealth Keystone Building
400 North Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120

In other news, credit card processor Chosen Payments has announced the formation of a vendor alliance with the PRLA. Chosen Payments specializes in providing merchant services to ground transportation providers throughout the nation. 

The next PRLA meeting will be in April.

Visit prlainc.com for more information.

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Mosaic’s Brewster Spills the Secrets

Mosaic Global Transportation CEO Maurice Brewster (fourth from left) was among the CEOs sharing the ‘Secrets of the Fastest Growing Companies’
San Francisco — Mosaic Global Transportation CEO & Founder Maurice Brewster recently took the stage with several Bay Area business leaders for a panel discussion entitled Secrets of the Fastest Growing Companies. Held February 1 at the Julian Morgan Ballroom, this event gave local entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from companies that made the San Francisco Business Times’ 2017 Fastest Growing Private Companies list. In October, the magazine named Mosaic as the #23 Fastest Growing Private Company in the Silicon Valley.

Mosaic Global Transportation CEO Maurice Brewster
For this event, Brewster was joined by Andrew Paradise, CEO & founder, Skillz (#2 Fastest Growing Private Company, 2017); Amy Norman, cofounder & co-CEO, Little Passports (#35 Fastest Growing Private Company, 2017); and Christina Stembel, founder, Farmgirl Flowers (#15 Fastest Growing Private Company). The discussion was moderated by Peter Sitov, market president – Northern California commercial banking at Union Bank, who co-sponsored the event with the San Francisco Business Times.

Each of these CEOs have enjoyed an impressive 50 percent or more growth over the past three years, and used this forum to share the secrets to their success as well as the challenges that come with managing a company on the fast track.

“It was an honor and a privilege to be selected by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Fastest Growing Private Businesses in the Bay Area,” said Brewster. “Thank you San Francisco Business Times and Union Bank for allowing me to share my secrets with my local business community.”

Visit mosaicglobaltransportation.com for more information.

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Grand Avenue Promotes Alicia Kline to Event and Client Services Manager

Event and Client Services Manager Alicia KlineNashville — Grand Avenue Worldwide is proud to announce that Alicia Kline has assumed the position of event and client services manager. Kline previously served as executive assistant to Grand Avenue CEO Carl Haley. With over seven years of experience providing events management services and administrative support for corporate executives and organizations, Kline will be responsible for overseeing the processes and systems related to serving customers through all phases of their transportation needs.

“Having been with Grand Avenue for over two years and being involved in a number of client-focused engagements and activities, I am honored and excited to now be in a role that ensures our clients’ every need is met,” said Kline. “Grand Avenue prides itself in providing the highest level of professionalism and quality care, and I look forward to helping the company further its exceptional service.”

Since joining Grand Avenue in 2015, Kline has developed the customer service, management, and leadership skills necessary for her new role as event and client services manager. Kline’s promotion comes as Nashville continues to grow in popularity as a top destination city for meetings and events.

“With her extensive background in handling events, from corporate meetings to professional sporting events within NASCAR and baseball, Alicia was a natural fit to be our new event and client services manager,” said Grand Avenue Vice President of Operations and General Manager Terrie Lane. “We’re thrilled to have her in this role and know that her experience will be valuable in helping us enhance our client services.”

Visit GrandAvenueWorldwide.com for more information.

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Gateway Limousine Named One of the Elite ‘WeddingWire Rated 500 Level’ Companies

President Mark DiChiaraWaterbury‚ Conn. — Luxury ground transportation service provider Gateway Limousine is pleased to announce that it has reached the prestigious WeddingWire Rated 500 Level by earning more than 500 wedding reviews for Wedding Limos in Connecticut. As a member of WeddingWire, a national online wedding marketplace and the world’s largest wedding review site with over 2 million reviews, Gateway Limousine’s advancement to the Rated 500 Level is considered the ultimate milestone, illustrating the company’s commitment to regularly providing quality service to their clients.

“Gateway Limousine is thrilled to have reached WeddingWire’s Rated 500 Level for Wedding Limos in Connecticut and believe that this achievement is a testament to the hard work of our highly-skilled, dedicated staff and chauffeurs,” said Gateway Limousine President Mark DiChiara. “Providing the finest ground transportation experiences for our clients is our number-one priority, and we would like to thank each of them for taking the time to review our services on WeddingWire. Each review allows potential clients to see that we are committed to providing excellent service on a consistent and ongoing basis, and we look forward to continued success.”

The WeddingWire Rated program recognizes wedding professionals who have received positive newlywed reviews about their business on WeddingWire. Since receiving over 500 wedding reviews, Gateway Limousine is now placed at the elite Rated 500 Level. The program recognizes businesses across more than 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and requires a minimum of three wedding reviews and an average score of 3.5 stars or higher. Within the WeddingWire Rated program, there are seven different levels that wedding professionals can reach based on the number of wedding reviews they receive (3, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250 and 500). The WeddingWire Rated 500 Level is reserved for a select group of businesses who have received 500 or more newlywed reviews.

“To have exceeded 500 client reviews is a tremendous accomplishment that only a select group of wedding professionals have reached,” said Sonny Ganguly, CMO, WeddingWire. “We are honored to recognize Gateway Limousine for their impressive work within the wedding industry as indicated by their past clients. This great achievement showcases their strong track record of success and a steadfast commitment to earning positive reviews, each and every year.”

In addition to WeddingWire’s Rated 500 Level, Gateway Limousine recently earned its tenth consecutive WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award, and is the only limousine service in Connecticut to have achieved this status. Determined by reviews from over a million newlyweds, the Couples’ Choice Awards recognize the top five percent of local wedding professionals on WeddingWire for their excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the industry.

Visit gatewaylimos.com for more information.

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American Executive Transportation Announces New Affiliate Manager

Affiliate Manager Jennifer WongSterling, Va. — Washington, D.C.-area transportation provider, American Executive Transportation, has announced the addition of industry veteran Jennifer Wong as their new affiliate manager.

Wong’s role as affiliate manager will to continue to build the existing relationships that American Executive has already established, as well as develop and grow new partnerships. She will also continue to work on building new corporate business for AET.

“I am thrilled to be working with the amazing team at American Executive and I am very much looking forward to adding my expertise and unique skill-set to such an amazing company,” says Wong.

She brings over 10 years of transportation industry expertise as well as over 25 years of sales and marketing expertise, in both the retail and corporate sectors. Wong is the founder of Solutions Marketing, a boutique transportation-focused marketing agency, which she will continue to manage with the support of her staff. She will be attending the upcoming trade shows and retreats and will conduct on site visits across the country to visit American Executive affiliates.

“We are excited to have Jennifer join the American Executive team with her extensive knowledge of the industry and as a well-respected industry veteran,” says AET CEO and Co-founder Zulfi Abbasi. “We believe this to be a great fit for our team.”

Visit aetworldwide.com for more information.

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Access Commercial Capital and United Leasing Name New Corporate Account Executive

Corporate Account Executive Carl RestivoLake Success, N.Y. — Access Commercial Capital, a division of United Leasing and Finance, has recently added Carl Restivo as a corporate account executive.

Restivo will leverage his existing customer base to expand Access’ originations in the transportation finance market. “I look forward to continuing to create effective financial solutions for customers I have known and served for many years.” he said.

Prior to joining Access, Restivo served in senior sales positions within the bus sales industry. “It’s exciting to hire talent that has a proven commitment to the industry and our customers,” said Eric Coolbaugh, vice president of sales at Access. “Carl’s extensive experience and understanding will ensure that our markets are well-served as we continue to grow our sales division,” he added.

Restivo will be based in Saratoga Springs, New York and will report directly to Coolbaugh. “We are pleased that Carl is bringing his considerable experience and stellar reputation to our company,” said Martha Ahlers, president of United Leasing and Finance. “Carl understands our unique brand of solutions and service, and will add depth to our already outstanding group of sales leaders,” she added.

Visit accesscapital.biz for more information.

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Association Leader Practices Paying It Forward

North Carolina Limousine Association President Carolyn Henson believes part of being successful is giving back to the industry.

LCT: When and why did you get started in the business?

Henson: A friend had his company for sale and we purchased it (Prestige Limousine Service, Wilmington, N.C.) in September 1991. I had always had an interest in cars and limousines. I truly enjoy working with my clients and helping people. It’s always been an exciting and interesting business.

LCT: How did you first get involved in advocacy for the industry and your association?

Henson: I really took an interest in 2003. I joined with a handful of other operators from across our state and we started the NCLA in July 2004. Prior to this, North Carolina really didn’t have an active association; it had been dissolved. The industry was gaining traction in our state and we were all struggling with airports and different municipalities. They were creating issues for operators and it was time for us to band together to protect our businesses.

LCT: How do you view the industry today from your local point of view and the industry overall nationally?

Henson: Our industry has changed drastically! Unfortunately, not all for the best. Locally, things are going pretty well. We’re in a small market and it takes time for national trends to reach us. We have seen the rise of TNCs just like the rest of the country. Some markets are a little more insulated than others. In some cities these changes have been devastating. We have seen some counties approve TNCs to operate; others have been more cautious. Statewide they have been approved to operate. This has caused consolidation in certain markets and some operators to close their doors.

Nationally, I think it has been even worse to read about developments in different markets. TNCs have changed the landscape of our industry permanently and not for the better, I’m afraid. We saw it start as an option for the retail market. It now appears they have set their sites on the corporate market. We have seen every level of business travelers use TNCs.

I think you have to choose your place in the marketplace. Unfortunately, we will never beat them on price. I don’t think that should be our focus. If you are truly a high-end luxury car service, then you must sell this to clientele. They can afford the true service our industry has always based our reputation on. I do feel our industry should have a unified platform to work from. This is our weakness. From a technology standpoint we are far behind! This has made us vulnerable to the onset of TNCs. I think we all need to join together and bring our industry into the 21st century. This will help us rise above the crowd and establish our true value in the marketplace.

LCT: What are some of the things you want to accomplish as president of the association?

Henson: I think we have accomplished a great deal for our state. We have been able to prevent a state sales tax from being put into effect. We have brought members together for education and training. Our relationship with our airports has been remarkable! This has been one of our greatest victories, starting with Raleigh-Durham International Airport in our state capital. We have provided mentoring for new operators and helped bring them to national conventions with scholarship programs and association sponsorships. We also offer member discounts and networking events. Another challenge is working to reinstate our tax incentive program for the film industry. That has been a huge loss to our state for many different industries.

LCT: What keeps you competitive and motivated?

Henson: To always go above and beyond our clients expectations! That is what keeps you motivated to do your best. They always know they can depend on you to take care of their transportation needs.

LCT: You attend many industry trade show and events. What personally motivates you to give back to the industry?

Henson: You always want to pay it forward! This industry has been very rewarding to me personally and professionally. I think it is the responsibility of those of us who have been here for a number of years to keep this industry growing and moving forward for the new generation to have the same opportunities we have enjoyed.  

LCT: So what do you like to do in your downtime?

Henson: I love to travel. We now are able to travel with our grandchildren. Relaxing on the beach and being an avid reader.

Tom Halligan is LCT East Coast editor, based in Marlton, N.J. He travels regularly to industry association meetings in the eastern U.S. Tom can be reached at tom@lctmag.com.

Keywords

industry leaders   limo associations   North Carolina operators   TNCs   Tom Halligan   

 

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Indiana Operator Adapts To Industry Disruption

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — In today’s app world, you have to be two things: Reliable and fast. TNCs have the speed aspect down, but are far from being dependable or consistent.

Gary Cooper, vice president and affiliate manager for Affiliated Transportation, understands clear communication with both your clients and your affiliates leads to providing the kind of service that sets luxury ground transportation companies apart from the Ubers and Lyfts out there in the eyes of the public.

That’s why Cooper’s team always gives 100% of their energy and effort into ensuring the best possible experience for their customers. He believes the best thing one can do for an affiliate is to properly represent their company.

This means including their logos on electronic name boards and passing out their business cards if possible. “Make sure you stay on top of any problems that might arise, and keep an open line of communication with your affiliate to make sure they are informed,” he says.

Part of that requires you to be professional and honest — if something goes wrong, your first priority should be to make sure the client is taken care of. “After you’ve gotten them where they need to be in a timely manner, follow up with your management team to find out exactly what happened and try to come up with a solution to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Cooper says. “Then reach out to the affiliate and try to make things right.”

LCT CONNECT PROFILE HERE

With more than 25 years of experience in the industry and a purchase and merging of six companies during the last 10 years, Cooper has learned that to keep growing business, operators must adapt to the technological times.

“We’ve been working with our in-house technology developers and have created some pretty amazing software our competition isn’t using,” he says. This includes automated chauffeur wake-up and phone call systems. Clients can dial in, type their reservation number, and receive the status of their chauffer and connect with them if necessary.

The company also has a system that texts clients chauffeur details, including a photo and their GPS location. Cooper says he’s seen a distinct interest in obtaining information earlier than ever. “I think clients and affiliates want the comfort of knowing everything is taken care of.

“When we farm-out, our system can text the affiliate driver and allow them to change their status. This will then automatically feed back into our system so we won’t have to call and bother the chauffeurs as they are trying to get the job done.” He also can send a text message out with chauffeur information that includes affiliate company’s logos.

Affiliated Transportation started off on LCT Connect by signing up for the free trial, and gathered two new affiliates from it within the first week. “In my eyes, LCT is the leader of information in the ground transportation industry and they put on excellent Shows. I wanted my company to be affiliated with the LCT family,” Cooper says.

Keywords

affiliate networks   Affiliate Report   customer service   farm-in farm-out   How To   Indiana operators   LCTconnect.com   

 

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Volvo Enters Limo Fleet Market

Since 2012, the fleet vehicle choices in the chauffeured transportation industry have grown, and this year stays true to the trend with the entry of two luxury vehicles from Volvo: The S90 sedan and the XC90 Excellence SUV.

Both vehicles officially debut to the industry on March 13-15 at the International LCT Show in Las Vegas, joining the ranks of Mercedes-Benz and BMW among chauffeur-worthy European luxury sedans.

Volvo brings 20 years of experience in the fleet vehicle industry, particularly among pharmaceutical and insurance company fleets. The OEM’s signature selling points are its stellar safety record and solidly constructed vehicles built to last, a reputation that dates back decades. Volvo Cars has reported a third consecutive year of record sales in 2016, with more than 530,000 vehicles sold worldwide.

“For a small European car company, we have large presence in the fleet industry,” said North Holbrook, director of commercial sales for Volvo USA. “In looking at the chauffeured car industry, our product makes sense. We have a big back seat and the infrastructure to build and distribute the vehicles. We are adapting our cars to be better suited for this fleet market.”

Volvo’s global manufacturing footprint includes Gothenburg, Sweden; Chengdu, China; and Charleston, S.C., which in 2018 will produce about 100,000 vehicles. All Volvo vehicles are built on one type of scalable platform architecture, allowing for consistent construction integrity. Volvo’s North American retailer network offers 340 dealerships, available to service vehicles in its chauffeured program.

Structural and technological safety features on Volvo vehicles include: Ultra high-strength steel, including boron, which comprises 40% of the body weight; lane-keeping and pilot assist features; rear-end collision prevention sensors; eye-in-the-sky GPS-based perimeter view; seatbelt pre-tensioners; and surround airbags. Livery pricing and incentives will be announced by the International LCT Show. Both models will be offered in black-on-black versions. 

2017 Volvo S90

Passengers: 5

Engine: In-line 4-cylinder turbocharged; supercharged option; AWD option; up to 316 hp

MSRP: $46,950 to $52,950

Wheelbase: 115.8 in.

Rear seat legroom: 40.4 in.

Rear seat headroom: 37.8 in.

Cargo: 13.5 cu.ft.

Fuel tank: 15.9 gal.

Fuel economy: 31 mpg hwy/22 mpg city

Warranty: 150,000 mi/3 years

Website: http://ift.tt/1J8eGXJ

2017 XC90 Excellence 

Passengers: 4

Engine: In-line 4-cylinder turbocharged/supercharged w/87 hp electric motor AWD, 400 hp

MSRP: $104,900

Wheelbase: 117.5 in.

Rear seat legroom: 37 in.

Rear seat headroom: 38.5 in.

Cargo: 85.7 cu.ft.

Fuel tank: 13.2 gal.

Fuel economy: 27 mpg hwy/24 mpg city

Warranty: 150,000 mi/3 years

Website: http://ift.tt/2lgfP8f

Keywords

industry vendors   new sedans   new vehicles   premium luxury sedans   SUV   volvo   

 

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Megabus Aims To Host Mega Unique Wedding

Weddings are typically events that only happen once in a person’s life (hopefully!), and modern lovebirds often want their ceremony to reflect this fact. Couples have gotten married in beautifully ornate churches, while snorkeling underwater, and even on top of glaciers — but what about on a bus?

Now, one lucky couple will have the chance to make history: Megabus is hosting a contest to win a free wedding on one of their decked-out buses…including honeymoon transportation and a lot of spending money.

The idea originated from the fact that over the past 10 years, the company has had its moments playing matchmaker, says Sean Hughes, director of corporate affairs North America for megabus.com.

“We’ve loved hearing about couples who met on a Megabus or used megabus.com to travel to see their long-distance loves,” he says. “This contest felt like a fun way to connect with our customers, especially around Valentine’s Day.”

Many of the entries they have received to date come from couples looking for a unique, “out of the box” wedding experience, Hughes says. Several others have shared that megabus.com has been an important part of their relationship in some way.

The winning couple will get to choose among the 100+ megabus.com routes for round-trip honeymoon travel via Megabus, which are all state-of-the-art, green-certified double-decker buses with free Wi-Fi, power outlets, and restrooms.

Contestants may enter here until Feb. 21, sharing their stories and telling the company why they want to be married on a megabus. The winner will be chosen and announced via megabus social media channels on March 15, 2017.

Megabus.com, a subsidiary of Coach USA, was founded in 2006 and operates service to and from more than 120 major cities in North America and 23 hubs. The site is one of the largest privately funded providers of city-to-city express bus transportation and maintains the highest (Satisfactory) safety compliance rating with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

For more information or to enter, readers can visit megabus.com’s Facebook page.

Keywords

buses   Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration   holiday   luxury buses   WebXclusive   weddings   

 

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