Cleaning Computers Can Avoid Long-Term Hassles

You may do spring and fall cleanings, but chances are your computers get skipped except for a cursory wipe down of the monitors. Computers, like any other piece of equipment or machinery, need to be cleaned inside and out periodically.

Cleaning The Inside

Computers are dust magnets. They suck dust into their internal components, which can act as insulation that traps heat. The circuit boards that dwell inside your computer don’t like heat, which can cut short your computer life. All you need to clean your computer inside is a can of compressed air and a Phillips screwdriver. You can get canned air at Staple’s, Office Depot, and even the grocery store. Before we begin, shut your computer down, turn it off, and unplug the power cord.

Remove the Cabinet Cover

Most covers are held in place by four screws on the backside of your computer. Some models may have them on the side. Remove these screws and slide the cover towards you while facing the front. It will slide off easily. If it seems stuck, more screws may be holding it in place.

Blow It Out

Before you begin blowing out your computer, you should take it outside and put on a breathing mask to filter out impurities. The dirtiest area of your computer is the fan on the power supply. Spray the fan itself, making it spin. You’ll find it next to the power cord connection. Turn the computer on its side and blow out the internal cabinet. Don’t get the spray nozzle too close to the green circuit boards inside; just close enough to blow the dust out. Once you have completed this, place the cabinet cover back on and secure it with the screws. Reconnect the power cord and restart the computer for the next part of the tune-up.

Why You Need an Internal Clean Up

Your computer does a lot to learn your routines and make life easier for you. In the process of “learning,” a lot of information is stored and kept ready to be used at your fingertips. Every time you visit a website, your computer exchanges information with that site in the form of sharing “cookies.” Let’s say you visit our website, http://www.lctmag.com, to use for research. Your computer gives our computer a “cookie” which tells us a little about who you are. Our computer hands your computer a “cookie.” Think of our cookie being a file folder full of information that will now be laid upon your desk for fast retrieval of information without having to pull the file folder out of the cabinet. Once you have viewed 50 websites, your desk would have 50 folders on it. That needs a clean-up. You don’t want a bunch of clutter laying around. Those cookies and other tidbits of information pile up. This includes storing a record of every website you have visited, every file you have ever downloaded, and many other tiny fragments of information. This all slows your computer down over time.

How To Clean It Up

While you can manually clean your computer, there are many programs like System Mechanic ($40), MyCleanPC ($20), and AVG PC Tune Up ($40) that will quickly clear Internet cookies, browsing sites, your recycle bin, expired cookies, broken registry links, and many other cyber refuse that slows your computer. Once you have run a clean-up program, your computer will run lightning- fast again like the day you bought it.

Great Ideas provides a broad range of information focused on new ideas and approaches in management, human resources, customer service, marketing, networking and technology. Have something to share or would like covered? You can reach LCT contributing editor and California operator Jim Luff

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How To Extend Bus Life Long After Paying It Off

A motorcoach could well last 20 years with regular maintenance, but it can be costly. Many operators may have jumped into the bus business without the experience or knowledge necessary to properly care for them.

I took my first plunge in 1998 with a used 19-passenger 1993 Goshen party bus. Since then, I have bought various size buses including a 40-passenger, a 27-passenger, and a 55-passenger motorcoach.

I learned many lessons along the way still relevant to experienced motorcoach operators and newbies.

Maintenance Costs
Running a fleet of buses almost mandates hiring your own mechanic and paying a flat salary instead of outsourcing repairs and maintenance. Outsource costs can be staggering for diesel buses. Typically, shop labor rates for diesel mechanics average $90 to $120 nationally, says Ramsey Mesvef, an independent ASE certified mechanic.  

That doesn’t mean the mechanic gets all that money. In fact, you can hire an in-house mechanic for about $20 an hour. The national average is $19.56, according to payscale.com. I chose to partner with an oilfield service company with its own shop for a fleet of big rigs. It hired ASE certified mechanics to maintain its service trucks and could handle maintenance on our buses. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (NASE) certifies professional mechanics and shops in the automotive repair industry. The independent group, created in 1972, distinguishes between potentially incompetent and competent mechanics.

Partnering was a win-win for both companies since the oil servicer often didn’t have enough work for its mechanics and sent them home early. I agreed to pay $45 per hour for labor plus the actual cost of the parts used in repairs. The cost of vehicle maintenance on a motorcoach is estimated at 39 cents per mile, according to Federal Highway Administration studies.

On a typical 300-mile charter, the first $117 charged to your client will be spent on future repairs and maintenance.  

It may surprise you, but one of the parts needing regular replacement on a motorcoach is the front windshield. They are frequently cracked or chipped by objects flying up from the road surface. Windshields are highly susceptible to damage and easily break because they are flat. A windshield is comprised of two glass panels, with each one costing about $700 including installation.  

I established an account with a mobile glass company and received discounts of about 20% by using the company regularly.  

How Long Will A Bus Last?
The life expectancy of a motorcoach varies based on the type and frequency of trips, maintenance schedule, and major overhauls. Tim Calloway, a lead mechanic for Dallas-based Greyhound, says a heavily used motorcoach will last up to 20 years with a few major overhauls and a swap out of the engine and transmission.

Jason Sharenow, owner of Broadway Elite Chauffeured Services Worldwide in East Hanover, N.J., expects to get 15 to 20 years from each of his motorcoaches. But Sharenow points out most operators plunging into the bus business don’t know what to expect since “they can’t wrap their heads around keeping a vehicle for more than five years.”

That’s true of limo operators like Eric Devlin, CEO of Premier Transportation in Dallas, who entered the bus business in 2014 expecting to run his buses for seven years before trading them in or selling them privately. He bases his decision mostly on his financing terms rather than concerns about wearing out one of his motorcoaches. Devlin said he recently traveled on a 27-year-old bus that was well cared for and he was fine with it. Devlin said his clientele would never accept a bus that old in the Dallas market, so he buys new to satisfy clients and cut costs.

New Or Used
The decision to buy new or used motorcoaches may be based on the size of the down payment, the ability to get financing, and where the bus is being sold. Devlin will only buy new vehicles because he doesn’t own a repair garage and relies on a local MCI dealership to service his vehicles. MCI offers a 60-month warranty on its new vehicles.

Older buses cost more to run than newer ones because something always needs to be serviced or replaced, Sharenow says. Devlin adds, “Buy new and don’t try to save $100,000. Unless you are experienced, you will create big headaches for yourself.”

However, well maintained motorcoaches can and do live on in infamy. A recent listing on busesforsale.com showed a 15 year-old MCI coach with 1.8 million miles selling for $70,000. With a major overhaul of about $60,000, the total investment would be about $130,000 to start a new life.  The buses that shuttle guests around Disneyland parking lots spent their first life as city transit buses before being retired with more than a million miles. They are overhauled and placed back into service for years to come.

Oil Changes
While you may be able to pop into a quick lube facility for your sedans, SUVs, and similar passenger vehicles, the same cannot be said for motorcoaches. You need an appointment and plenty of cash. You can imagine my surprise when I took my first bus to get an oil change and was quoted $600. That’s because buses use anywhere from six to eight gallons of oil during an oil change and may have four or more oil filters.  Here’s where having your own mechanic can save a bundle. Sharenow estimates an oil change averages about $400 in-house. He saves a whopping $200 by doing this routine maintenance in-house rather than outsourcing.

Tire Matters
You can buy bus tires in two ways: Outright or via a lease, as Sharenow does. Bus operators commonly lease tires instead of buying them. Sharenow leases his tires and pays about two cents per mile driven while Devlin and I buy tires averaging $700 each installed. We’ve noticed a life cycle of 60,000 miles for tires properly rotated.

We rotate tires by moving the front steering tires to the inside position of a dual axle at about 50,000 miles to squeeze 20,000 more miles out of them. The steering tires wear out the fastest. The inside dual tires move to the outside position, and the outside dual tires move to the back tag wheel position.

“Essentially, everything is moving back,” says Sharenow, who gets 12 tires at a time from the tire leasing company for inventory. He doesn’t start paying for them until they are mounted. Charges accrue monthly based on miles traveled. The cost of bus tire changing equipment runs about $15,000, Sharenow says.

[PAGEBREAK]

Interior Refreshing
With thousands of passengers occupying seats, spills, tears, and rips will happen. Devlin cleans his leather seats with a solvent each night. When the seat material starts to look grungy, it’s time for an interior refresh. That includes reupholstering the seats, ripping out the flooring if needed, and laying new vinyl or carpet. I did this with my first bus for $4,000.

When done, we removed a previously carpeted floor and replaced it with a faux marble floor made out of vinyl. If I didn’t know it was a 1993 model, I would have thought the bus was brand new in 2003 because it had a new interior smell. Many charter bus companies have strict policies that prohibit food or beverage while others encourage it. Many charge a deposit for passengers intending to bring food and beverages. The top requested items brought onto my buses were kegs and ice chests.  

Major Overhauls
When a motorcoach approaches 600,000 — 700,000 miles of use, it’s time to perform a major overhaul if you want to keep it. By now, the motorcoach is probably owned free and clear. Sharenow generally replaces transmissions and engines at the same time because it’s cheaper. He says it takes two mechanics and four full days to perform a change-out. In his operation, it takes about 10 years for a bus to reach this point. Engines range from $24,000 to $35,000, depending on whether you buy new or rebuilt. Some people change out the engine brand such as a Caterpillar to a Volvo engine. Billy Jinks of Jet Limousine in Phoenix is considering a major bus overhaul. No matter which engine he chooses, it will cost him an estimated $6,000 to get it installed. That $30,000 investment will deliver another 10 years of service before the bus heads off to the graveyard or maybe another overhaul by a new owner.

How Much Is A Major Overhaul?

• New/rebuilt engine: $35,000
• New/rebuilt transmission: $10,000
• Interior refresh: $4,000
• New tires: $8,400
• Total cost: $57,400*

* Includes labor costs

Transmissions can be either rebuilt or replaced with remanufactured or third-party transmissions. They also might need to be replaced sooner than engines based on operating conditions and the terrain they are operated in. Those can range from $8,000 to $13,000, Sharenow says. Having his mechanics perform the swap-out saves an estimated $2,500 in labor cost.

Take Potty Breaks
One of the most dreaded tasks of operating a motorcoach is keeping the restroom clean. Failing to dump out the holding tank daily can generate a putrid miasma that permeates the entire bus, no matter how strong the stench-busters used.

“Our bathrooms are dumped every night,” says Devlin, who pays a disposal vendor about $30 per dump. Public draining facilities charge $25 to $40 per dump. To keep your restroom smelling fresh and sanitary, you should use a formaldehyde solution such as Safe-T-Fresh. It costs about $22 per gallon and should last for about 30 dumps of the holding tank. Devlin adds air-fresheners each day. On long charters with full buses, it’s sometimes necessary to do a midday tank dump. He warns to never scrimp on sanitation. “You have to dump the tank to avoid an unpleasant smell. Unpleasant smells are not good customer service and unacceptable.”

Expensive Breakdowns
Any time your motorcoach breaks down, it will be an expensive event. Every bus operator has experienced a breakdown. Whether you have a motorcoach towed or a roadside mechanic respond to it, the cost of getting help is high. Devlin pays $60 to $75 per hour depending on the time of day, with charges billed from garage-to-garage. This doesn’t include the cost of parts. Fortunately, Devlin has only experienced a blowout on an inside dual tire to discover the price of roadside assistance.  

Sharenow once had a transmission fail on a coach out on the road near Boston. In this case, he was forced to outsource the repairs, but even then, Sharenow, being resourceful, bought a remanufactured transmission for $8,800 and drove it to Boston himself. The tow and labor was another $4,000, but since Sharenow has a wholesale account for parts, he was able to slash the price of the transmission by at least $1,200.

[PAGEBREAK]
SIDEBAR: Tips For Keeping Costs Down
Shared mechanics: You may be able to find someone else in your city who runs a fleet of vehicles and has a mechanic. You could ask them if they would be willing to perform work for you at their shop for a fee. Mechanics also advertise on Craig’s List or other websites that perform freelance work. Make sure you check references and ask for an ASE certificate. This might be an excellent way to contract someone for in-house work on a part-time basis. The average diesel mechanic pay is $20 per hour.

Shared facilities: Running a well-equipped shop requires a variety of tools and specialized equipment for HVAC, tires, oil disposal, and diagnostic tests. If you have a large fleet, you might consider splitting costs with another company. It cuts the expense for all tools and equipment in half for both companies.

Wholesale accounts: Open a wholesale or “commercial account” with parts houses and dealerships. You will be asked for credentials such as a seller’s permit, resale certificate, business license, or other documentation to open an account. Having an account with companies such as AutoZone, Napa, Pep Boys, or other parts houses can save you as much as 30%, with free delivery included. This can drastically cut your cost on such parts as windshield wiper blades, coolant, transmission fluid, oil, and similar products you use daily.

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How To Keep Up With Labor Laws

Ground transportation companies are regulated by agencies from air pollution control districts to airport authorities, along with state, county, and local agencies watching every move we make. We are burdened with federal and state laws intended to protect passengers and our employees.  

The National Limousine Association sent a resounding message to legislators in Washington, D.C. by asking them to equalize rules for TNCs and legitimate ground transportation companies. Labor laws rank high among them.

Asking For Deregulation
On June 14, NLA president Gary Buffo sat inside the offices of Majority Leader of the House, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to discuss ground transportation matters. The Los Angeles Times calls McCarthy “the second most powerful member in the House” in a May 17 article: “In reality, no politician has more clout with the Trump White House than he does.”

Buffo used the NLA Day on the Hill event to suggest to McCarthy’s staff that if our government can’t properly regulate transportation network companies (TNCs), maybe they could deregulate our industry to the same level. While the comment was more of a quip than a formal request, many operators would likely relish the reality of it.

Ignorance To Regulations
Unfortunately, one drawback of our industry is many small operators lack formal business training. Many operators simply qualify for a loan on a livery vehicle and set up shop. They run their businesses from their homes and think they fly under the radar, but are vulnerable to the state filing a labor claim against them. Such costly actions can be devastating, and result in a company going belly up or filing bankruptcy. Claiming you didn’t know about a labor law won’t get you lenience from a labor judge, as the laws protect employees over employers. Heed this article as a warning to brush up on your labor laws.

What Are You Doing Wrong?
A few violations we see happening around the country include failing to provide mandatory meal and rest period breaks, making employees pay for damaged vehicles and/or into a “damage fund,” and working employees without adequate sleep. Classifying an employee as a contractor is another industry weak point.

The latter can lead to big trouble. If one of your so-called contractors files a labor claim against you, the first thing the court will do is determine jurisdiction. If it finds the person is really an employee instead of a contractor, you will be cited, fined, and possibly sued.

If the court determines the person is an employee, it will apply the same judgement issued to the filing employee to every person who has worked for you in the past three years. Let’s say the court issues a $1,500 fine because an employee claimed he never received breaks during a two- year period. If you had seven employees in the past three years, your payout would be $10,500 with extra fines for misclassifying people as contractors.

Those Pesky Breaks
No doubt our employees need to eat, use the restroom, and take a break.  Because of the uniqueness of our work, it isn’t always possible to schedule breaks; rather, we take them when possible. It isn’t practical for a chauffeur to announce to passengers he is pulling over to take a 30-minute meal break. Fortunately, it would be extremely rare for a chauffeur to be committed to a five or six hour stint behind the wheel at one time. In fact, it’s almost unheard of.  Five or six hours is the law for at least half of all states for a mandatory 30-minute meal break.

For the rules in your state, visit http://ift.tt/1jF73qe. It is important to document breaks as they are taken. Even if they are “on-the-clock” meal periods, legally they must be documented. It could be on the trip sheet, a driver logbook entry, or in the office. But it must be recorded somewhere. Contrary to popular belief, federal laws under the Federal Labor Standards Act do not mandate break periods, but are left up to state agencies.

[PAGEBREAK]

Employee Or Contractor?
The IRS uses specific methods to determine if work is considered employment or contracted. Here are the areas the IRS will first investigate to determine the level of control and independence:

1. Behavioral: Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does his or her job?

2. Financial: Are the business aspects of the worker’s job controlled by the payer (such as how a worker is paid, whether expenses are reimbursed, who provides the vehicle, supplies, fuel, etc.)?

3. Type of Relationship: Is there a written contract between the company and contractor, and are there employee type benefits (i.e. pension plan, insurance, vacation pay, etc.)? Will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the business?

In addition, the IRS has a document known as the IRS 20 Factor List to help determine the relationship status between an individual and a business.  

Specifically, a contractor must be vulnerable to a financial loss. If he has no risk in performing services, he is almost always considered an employee. In a true independent contractor relationship, the contractor owns (or rents from you) the vehicle she drives. She has her own insurance policy, business license, and liability insurance policy.

The contractor buys fuel out of his pocket and is responsible for all repairs and vehicle maintenance. If there is any doubt, you may submit a Form SS-8 to the IRS, which will provide a ruling. Contrary to what most people think, the IRS will not come after you just for asking. If you are unsure, you should submit the form before you learn the hard way. (http://ift.tt/1UoKNG2)

YES OR NO: 8 Question Employee V. Contractor Test
If you answered yes to more than three questions, it is highly likely you have employees. You should submit Form SS-8 for a legal determination and to avoid costly potential problems.

1. Does the person drive a vehicle fully owned by you without payment to you?
2. Do you provide the fuel for each trip?
3. Do you pay for the insurance on the vehicle?
4. Do you assign the chauffeur to a particular job?
5. Is the chauffeur guaranteed to be paid a certain amount for each job?
6. Is the chauffeur compensated hourly based on hours worked?
7. Does the chauffeur return the vehicle to your business afterward?
8. Are there repercussions if the chauffeur refuses an assignment?

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How To Recruit CDL Chauffeurs For Bus Operations

The challenge to find chauffeurs has long been an industry issue. In states like California, no special license is required to drive a limousine, sedan, or SUV on a for-hire basis. However, California requires a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to operate a vehicle seating more than 10 passengers (including the driver) while federal law doesn’t mandate a CDL unless you are running a vehicle that seats more than 15 (including the driver). This is where it gets messy.

Which Law Applies?

Federal law is only applied to operators crossing state lines. State law prevails when operators run their vehicles only in the state that licenses them. Side note: Crossing a state line without federal authority in any kind of for-hire, state-licensed vehicle is illegal; a first violation can cost you $1600. For sure, a driver of a high-occupancy vehicle designed to carry passengers must have a CDL. That CDL requirement has made finding suitable employees very difficult for transportation services nationwide.

Insurance Matters

It’s not just a matter of finding quality help. Insurance policy underwriters have drastically shifted their approvals of new chauffeurs hired to operate buses. “The aggregate amount of claims paid out over the last several years is responsible for premium increases across the board, as well as a closer examination of each driver added to the policy,” says Mark Freeark, an agent with TIB Insurance in Glendale, Calif., and an industry expert. 

Many insurance carriers flat out refuse to add to a policy drivers who lack several years of experience. Carol Bean, another industry insurance agent with KIA Insurance, adds, “Insurance companies don’t want their insureds to be a training ground for bus drivers because when an accident occurs, the losses are substantial.” This compounds the problem because if you locate a potential employee who just graduated from a program, he may be uninsurable without practical experience. Unfortunately for these graduates, the odds are against them as well. That doesn’t mean all insurance companies would not consider their training programs to be sufficient, but the industry trend is to require two to three years of previous experience, Bean says.

Real Struggles

When you are the boss, the buck stops with you. John Oulton, owner of Richmond Limousine in Henrico County, Va., recently had to give up his work in the office for a day to drive a bus since he didn’t have anyone else to do it. Oulton is a member of Wheels In Motion, a focus group of 16 operators nationwide who regularly meet to share business issues. At a recent group meeting in New Jersey, many members shared goals which included hiring CDL drivers for their bus operations. Many operators are driving jobs, or worse yet, turning jobs down simply because they lack qualified drivers.

Skills And Qualities

Experience is a quality you desire just to get your new employee insured. But in our industry, it’s not only the experience of running a bus but having a skill set that differs from that of a Greyhound or school bus driver who drive routes and rarely interact with passengers. Our bus drivers, or bus chauffeurs as some call them, must have large personalities, serve as tour guides, and know the areas they serve and the destinations they travel to. 

Most industry insurance carriers require potential drivers to be a minimum of 25 years-old. Additional requirements, Bean says, include a good driving record with no more than two moving violations in the past three years, no previous license suspensions, and no convictions related to drugs or alcohol. 

“A prior accident would not necessarily exclude a driver from coverage, but would cause the underwriter to take a close look at the circumstances of the accident and particularly who was at fault,” Bean says. Other qualities and skills include the ability to lift up to 50 pounds, pass a drug and alcohol screening, and enjoy working with the public and talking to people. Marie Joiner, operator of Modesto, Calif.-based Luxury Limousine, says it’s important for wine tour bus drivers to be familiar with wineries they visit as well as wine.

Where Do You Find Them?

At the International LCT Show in March, many operators shared their ideas for recruiting drivers at an educational session about recruiting. Some suggestions included using Facebook advertising, participating in community job fairs, working with community partners that focus on placement for job seekers, such as veteran’s affairs groups and placement coordinators with college campuses and trucking schools. Other ideas include holding your own job fair and setting up an internal referral system for employees to earn bonuses for recruiting. Some operators have succeeded using Craig’s List. Other popular online recruitment sources are Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com.

How Do You Pay Them?

For those who morphed into the bus business from a traditional limousine service, the same pay scale used for chauffeurs should apply to bus chauffeurs. That’s usually an hourly pay plus a gratuity of 20%. This could reach an hourly rate of about $50 or more. With this pay, it’s hard to understand why people don’t apply for jobs in droves. The average pay for a Greyhound bus driver is $17 to $22 per hour with limited opportunity for tips. The average national rate of pay for charter bus drivers is $14.81. Compare this to most commercial airline pilots who are required to have a college degree and earn about $70 per hour. By contrast, a Physician’s Assistant earns an average of $47 per hour while firefighters and paramedics earn an average of $22.53 and $15.38 per hour respectively for saving lives. Some companies have treated this more sensibly and pay $18 to $25 per hour without a gratuity. It is uncommon for charter bus companies to mandate their clients to pay a gratuity.

Retention

Hiring and training a new employee requires a big investment. This includes background checks, drug and alcohol screenings, and training. Incentive programs are a great way to recognize employees for exemplary performance and are low-cost morale boosters. These can include an employee of the month program or as something simple as a Starbucks gift card to say, “Thanks for a job well done.” Foremost, remind employees how much you appreciate and recognize them for their contributions.

— Jim@LCTmag.com

Training Your New Employee

Once you’ve hired a candidate, you should put him into a defined orientation program that includes proof of proficiency in tasks, knowledge, and duties in each phase of formal training.

Jeff Nyikos, CEO of Leros Point to Point in Hawthorne, N.Y., tests for knowledge and general information to see what level of training new employees need. “This has helped identify candidates who are most likely to deliver service that meets the expectations of the company,” Nyikos says.

A strong training program gives new employees confidence before they start. Training should cover specifics on company orientation, culture, and duty expectations, and how they should deliver customer service.

Keywords

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How To Get Everyone Off The Bus

While state and federal inspectors closely examine exit doors, operators should spend time training drivers on how and when to evacuate.

Chaos in an Evacuation
An order for passengers to evacuate a motorcoach or a minibus immediately can create a stampede and cause people to die from being trampled. This is why it’s so important for a driver to lead and control an orderly evacuation and know when to do it. A driver should determine in real-time where to assemble passengers before ordering them to leave the bus.

When to Evacuate
Obviously, fire and smoke would warrant an evacuation. However, a highway collision does not necessarily require one. Leaving the safety of a bus to stand on a busy highway could place passengers at a higher risk than just waiting for law enforcement to arrive and detour traffic. The driver is always the “captain of the ship” and must make command decisions based upon the safety and risks to passengers aboard.

Practice
While your drivers might be familiar with roof hatches, how many have actually opened it all the way, beyond just for ventilation? The FMSCA requires emergency exits be tested every 90-days, and the results must be recorded in writing and signed by the inspector(s). Make sure every driver knows how to open every emergency exit on every fleet vehicle. Don’t just teach them where the red handles are; have them open all exits as if in an emergency.

Exits & Order

When boarding a new group for a trip, a driver should point out all of the emergency exits and explain how they work. It doesn’t have to be as detailed as an airline flight, but it would help to know in advance how they operate. In an emergency, the driver should calmly announce the need to evacuate and do so row by row and alternate each side of the bus for an orderly, safe, and efficient exit. He should direct the passengers to an assembly area and account for each passenger once all have disembarked.

Using Emergency Exits

The primary entrance door(s) should always be used unless compromised or blocked by a collision or hazard. Using a window exit is more difficult than it might seem. Once you unlock the windows with the red handles, the window pushes away from the bottom but remains hinged at the top. This exit will require help from people in and out of the coach.

On the inside, someone must hold it open for those exiting through the window. On the outside, the drop is steep and those who exit first should be directed to help others exiting behind them until all passengers have left. A roof hatch should be used only if the vehicle has flipped on its side or is submerged in water. The drop from the roof of a motorcoach on its wheels can cause serious injury. Even if the vehicle has rolled, passengers can easily fall and get hurt climbing out of a roof exit if they don’t get help from outside bystanders.

Great Ideas provides a broad range of information focused on new ideas and approaches in management, human resources, customer service, marketing, networking and technology. Have something to share or would like covered? You can reach LCT contributing editor and California operator Jim Luff at jim@lctmag.com

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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   

 

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Creating Community & Charity Team Spirit

Getting involved in community charity events can benefit your business. By assembling a team from your company, you can help the charity while marketing your services. Millennial employees love to be a part of a movement. They will roll up their sleeves to belong to anything good.

What Types of Events?

Volunteers organize most charity events. You can never have too many hands working one. From festivals to fishing derbies, there is something for everyone. If you see an ad for an upcoming charity event, call the group and ask if they need help. A typical event could use bartenders, food servers, trash monitors, ticket takers, ticket sellers, and other jobs. Tell the organizers how many people you can provide and make your company available.

Presenting To Your Staff

Never try to force volunteer work on people. It can be construed as a work assignment rather than a true free choice. Share your enthusiasm of the charity group with your staff. Let them know who will benefit and why your company is involved. If you support a charity that does business with you, it’s even better.

For instance, if you provide rides for Make-A-Wish and they have a fundraising event, you can tell your staff you are enhancing a client relationship. Ask your staff to complete a short questionnaire about jobs that may interest them (such as bartending) and the specific skills they would like to offer at an event.

Spot Tip

Look for charities you are passionate about

Marketing Your Company

Consider investing in T-shirts with your company logo and ask your employees to wear them at the event. If it’s more formal, consider nice polo or button-down shirts. Create-A-Card, an industry marketing company, offers a full line of logoed casual wear. 

Send an email or social media message to your local news outlets about what your company is doing. They just might send a reporter out to cover your efforts. That makes your company look like a wonderful community citizen. If a program will be provided to participants, ask if your logo can be included in exchange for the manpower. Most charities would find this request to be reasonable and include it. Ask if you can park some vehicles to display at the event.

The Camaraderie

When your crew works together on a charity project, it brings them closer together and makes them feel satisfied. This strengthens the working relationships of your team when they return to the office. They will gain a sense of team accomplishment. Millennials find community projects like these to be rewarding, and the company enjoys the advantages of true team spirit on and off the job and a camaraderie that exceeds that of being co-workers.

Connecting With Charities

If you want to find some local causes in your community, check Eventbrite.com and Guidestar.org. Local charities frequently use Eventbrite to sell tickets to their events. Find something appealing to you. Guidestar.org is an organization that tracks and monitors charities and assigns ratings based on their benefits to the community. Guidestar.org ensures charity organizations are legitimate and the money raised is spent on the intended purpose. 

Great Ideas provides a broad range of information focused on new concepts and approaches in management, human resources, customer service, marketing, networking and technology. Have something to share or would like covered? You can reach LCT contributing editor and operator Jim Luff

Keywords

charity   community involvement   company culture   marketing/promotions   Millennials   

 

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How To Balance Life, Work, And Health

Before you can lead with any success, let alone be around long enough to do it right, you need a healthy body and mind.

While that’s some old common sense, the need for it should be obvious given the stress levels and bad habits all around. Balancing good health with a successful business is a passion for Billy Sheehan, “The Coach,” an executive health strategist who has helped corporate leaders for 25 years lower stress and raise productivity levels by changing how they live.

As the first presenter of the LCT Leadership Summit, Sheehan set the foundation for solid leadership principles. He stressed if you take care of yourself mentally and physically, you’ll perform better in a leadership role.  

Does It Really Matter?
A Northwestern University study Sheehan cited found a dramatic increase in “functional capacity” among those living a healthier lifestyle. Most people in the chauffeured transportation industry focus more on taking care of their businesses than themselves.

Sheehan advises the reverse: If you take care of yourself first, you will be better at handling your business. Healthier people work at higher levels of creativity, confidence, stamina, level-headedness, and collaboration. Think about how these attributes determine your success.  

Making Choices
The average person faces a barrage of choices each day. As a business owner, the decisions and choices you make will affect your clients, employees, family, business, and yourself.

“These choices include what you will eat next, when you will go to sleep, what promotion you might implement next, and even what you will think about next,”  Sheehan said. He referred to humans as “choice-making” machines. Managing your choices serves as a navigation system for personal and professional lives, and determines physical and mental fitness levels.

By applying his principles, Sheehan promises higher levels of “healthy living, mental performance, imagination, and innovation.” He spoke about choosing in 1990 to work as a personal trainer. He never dreamed he would become a public speaker sharing his knowledge of how physical fitness ties into “pretty much everything in your life,” including mental state and behavior.

“I can assure you when I was wearing my gym shorts and trying to figure out how many people would pay me $40 an hour as their personal trainer back in the 1990s, I had absolutely no idea I would ever be flown down to Miami as a speaker and be standing up here in front of you,” Sheehan said.

Seeing The Big Picture
Before you can make good choices, you need a vision, Sheehan said. How do you see yourself in the mirror? How do you see the dawn of a new day? Most importantly, how do you see this day? What will you do with this day? As you read this article, think of today and what you will do with the rest of it. How can you make this day special and remember it as a unique accomplishment? By taking a moment to visualize you, your life, and this day, you can create a mental vision board of what you can accomplish and feel proud of today.

Timing Of Choices
You will never get a second chance to make a choice. Sheehan pointed out we live in the moment. “Your life is playing out now, in the moment. And everything that ever will happen to you will happen in the moment,” he said. He asked, “Can you make a choice in the past?” He answered the rhetorical question with, “The past is gone. It’s untouchable, it’s irretrievable.” You might be inclined to say – “yes.” But the fact is you cannot. You can only plan your choice in the future, but it’s still not a done deal. Only as the moment arrives can you make an actual choice.

It might be as simple as choosing chocolate ice cream on your way to an ice cream parlor. Once you arrive, you might find mint chocolate chip to be more appealing and select it instead. The point is, don’t spend a lot of time making choices well into the future as circumstances may change.

Sheehan encourages people to focus on the present. “You can eliminate 90% of your stress. You can elevate your personal health, and you can infuse into your role as a leader of a business, a resource, a message, and an energy that will move you past any challenge.”

As a stark reminder of how choices affect us, Sheehan shared a story about growing up with his brother and their forays into illicit drugs.  While Sheehan ditched the habit and became Billy The Coach, an international speaker, educator, and trainer, his brother’s life was cut short by his addiction to the same drugs. Sheehan summarized it with once simple word: Choices.

All The Problems
Years ago Gandhi said, “At the core of every single human problem is stress. The difference between what we do and what we’re capable of doing would solve the problems of our world,’” quoted Sheehan. Stress leads people to drink, use drugs, smoke, gamble, and overeat, which all hurt their well-being.

“Everyone has stress. If you have children in this world, you have stress. If you have bills to pay, you have stress. If you have customers to satisfy, you have stress. If you’re mildly curious about your mortality, you have stress,” Sheehan said.

Stress can be good or toxic. Learning how to deal with it can help you face it without the destruction it causes. Physical exercise is reported to reduce stress, a concept most of us learned around the third grade, Sheehan said.

In the limousine industry, operators often fail to budget the time for exercise despite proven benefits. Sheehan calls regular physical exercise the number one choice for decreasing stress. Physical activity actually benefits the brain.

Four Common Things That Ruin Lives
While this doesn’t come as a surprise, these four items can be most destructive to well being, with food now ranking as the most abused escape from stress: drugs, alcohol, food, and stress.

Eating Right
While Sheehan said he wasn’t there to speak about eating string beans, proper eating relates to our physical well-being. In a humorous comparison intended to highlight the junk we put into our bodies, Sheehan asked, “How many of you would pour lemonade or Coca-Cola in the gas tanks of your vehicles?” The analogy is we take great care of our fleet because it produces income for us. However, the fleet is run by you so you should take care of yourself in the same way you take care of the fleet. Don’t put harmful things in your body.

Sleeping Right
Nature intended we spend one third of our lives sleeping. Research shows the average person experiences 30,000 to 60,000 thoughts each day. That’s a lot of work on the brain, and it simply must have time to recharge to repeat this daily. It is important to maintain a regular sleep pattern by going to bed close to the same time each day and getting the amount of sleep your body needs to feel rested when you wake.

Seeking Knowledge
Every day we learn new things. We learn about our business, clients, new technology, as well as useless stuff. However, learning is exercising the mind while empowering it. By seeking new information, reading, conversing, and most importantly, listening, you will be constantly learning and applying newly gained information to your life.

Seek to learn as much as you can about matters of interest to you and what might be beneficial in your personal life, your business life, and even your spiritual life. Sheehan refers to this as cardiovascular exercise for the brain. Sheehan pointed out the brain’s ability to continuously adapt through life. For instance, if a person goes blind, the brain automatically increases hearing to compensate for the loss of sight.

Elevating Your Performance
Sheehan shared his most important tool for success: Elevating your performance. “Think, live, and experience your life in the moment,” Sheehan reiterated. In raising your performance, “The only thing that will make the difference whether it’s you is if you choose. You get to choose.”

3 Quick Tips
Coach Billy’s recommendations for elevating performance:

1 Focus on the things you can control. Do not be distracted by anything outside of your control. This will unburden the average business owner of 90% of their stress.

2 If you are going to accept the behavior, it is critical you accept the consequences of your behavior. To accept the behavior and not accept its consequences is lunacy.

3 Live, think, and experience your life in the moment. That’s all you have. That’s what neuroscience and neurobiology has exposed about humanity. Manage and refine the way you react to happenings around you.

Keywords

industry education   keynote speakers   LCT Leadership Summit   leadership   Management   work-life balance   

 

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How To Empower Safety In Your Company Culture

Do your employees have the authority to refuse to operate a vehicle they deem unsafe? Do you encourage employees to report unsafe operations or situations without fear of retaliation? Do you remind them often it’s okay to speak up?

Tenets of Operations Excellence

Creating a culture of safety within your company is a vital part of your operations. From keeping your passengers secure and drivers responsible, safety begins with every employee.

A lanyard card such as the one illustrated can be carried with company ID cards and electronic key cards as a reminder of how important safety is within the company and empower each employee to follow standards.

Do It Right Or Not At All

Everything your employees do should be done with safety in mind. Employees should never be forced to engage in an activity or job function that might harm them or your customers. Making sure all employees know they have a responsibility and the authority to stop unsafe activities lead to reliable operations.

No Repercussions

Some companies create an unsafe environment by punishing employees who report troubling conditions. If a driver believes tires are too worn to run, another vehicle should be assigned without him fearing his future work hours will be cut or he is deemed difficult to work with. Instead, a qualified specialist should check the tires to make sure the treads are not worn.

Prevention

As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Make sure safety policies are distributed, procedures are followed, and abnormal situations are addressed immediately. Accidents and incidents can be prevented by equipping employees to stop hazards. Addressing these issues includes reporting situations to the right people tasked with handling them in a professional manner using procedures that address specific problems.

For example, set up a procedure to deliver a vehicle to a tire facility for tire inspections. Such a procedure can deter a manager from overriding the employee’s reporting. Ignoring or denigrating an employee’s safety concern sends a strong message the company doesn’t care about safety and discourages the staff from being vigilant and vocal in the future.

Create A Culture

Fortifying a safe workplace environment isn’t simply about posting warning signs. It means creating a company culture that exudes safety in whatever an employee does and wherever an employee goes during the course of work activities.

Whether it is unsafe tires or puddles in a walkway, employees must be trained to constantly look for risks, hazards, or anomalies. They should be confident to act immediately to prevent an injury or death without having to check with a supervisor each time. Such an environment starts with strong leadership.

Smooth Operations provides a broad range of information focused on new ideas and approaches in management, human resources, customer service, marketing, networking and technology. Have something to share or would like covered? You can reach LCT contributing editor and California operator Jim Luff at Jim@LCTmag.com.

Keywords

company culture   driver safety   Jim Luff   passenger safety   Safety   smooth operations   vehicle safety   

 

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How To Find The Best Chauffeurs In A Tight Job Market

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Recruiting chauffeurs is a top challenge throughout the limousine industry regardless of city or locale. Operators say the situation has worsened during the last several years.

Some of the reasons include competition from TNCs that allow drivers a flexible schedule as well as the ability to pick and choose which passengers and jobs they accept. Also, many operators have entered the bus market requiring special driver’s licenses which place drivers of high-occupancy vehicles under closer scrutiny from insurance underwriters to be accepted on a policy.

Those concerns were voiced in a near capacity room during a Show session moderated by Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation in Rockville, Md., Fe Allen of MGM Resorts, and Jeff Nyikos of Leros Point to Point in Hawthorne, N.Y. The panelists shared their methods for recruiting “outside the box,” such as offering benefits and portraying your company as one people want to work for.

The panel polled participants at the start of the session on specifics they hoped to learn from the session. This set the stage for much audience participation. Many ideas were shared about recruiting methods, where to advertise to find potential employees, and what kind of employees you might want to reach.  

Recruiting Ideas
Some suggestions for recruiting include using Facebook advertising, community job fairs, community partners who focus on placement for job seekers such as veteran’s affairs groups, and placement coordinators on college campuses. Other government entities might provide some tax credits.
Panel members also suggested: Holding your own job fair; implementing an internal referral system for employees to earn bonuses since employees know what kind of candidates you look for; checking Craig’s List, Indeed.com, and Glassdoor.com.

Allen suggests when advertising online, a link should be provided to begin the application process immediately. Operators and moderators shared the need to find the right kind of people, and all agreed people from the service industry such as hotel desk clerks and similar professions make great candidates. They know the value of great customer service and will have less of a learning curve.  

The Vetting Process
Once you have potential candidates applying for the job, there must be a “systematic approach to the hiring process,” Alexander said. Allen explained the boarding process at MGM Properties includes the use of assessment and/or personality tests designed for people in the hospitality industry. These tests are widely available online and help avoid hiring someone who won’t fit into your organization. Multiple staff members should be involved in the interview and vetting process, as each might have a unique perspective on a candidate.

Hiring and Training
Once a candidate has been hired, a clearly defined program must guide the boarding process, including management of background checks, drug testing, and a formal training program. Nyikos uses a knowledge test of general information to determine the level of training needed for the new employee. This has helped identify candidates who are most likely to deliver service that meets the expectations of the company. A strong training program provides confidence for the new employee before the start of service. Allen shared MGM’s policy of placing all new employees on a 90-day probationary period while they go through the training specific to the company orientation and culture, as well as the duties they are expected to perform and how they should deliver customer service.

Retention
The session concluded with a discussion on retention. Obviously, a large investment is needed to train a new employee, given the money and time of trainers. The panel suggested adopting incentive programs that recognize employees for exemplary performance and low-cost morale boosters that can be used to make employees feel appreciated. This can be as simple as a Starbucks gift card to say, “Thanks for a job well done.”

Keywords

hiring chauffeurs   How To   human resources   ILCT 2017   industry education   recruiting chauffeurs   

 

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How To Create A Special Events Playbook

To devise a special event master plan, you’ll need a tabbed binder with all relevant information in a single place. The binder should have tabs that allow you to quickly locate important phone numbers, the event contract you are working under, emergency procedures, and event details.

The Communications Tab

This tab should have a list of cell phone numbers for every person assigned to work the event. It should have contact numbers for everyone you might need to talk to, from the client who booked the job to FBOs you may use to pick-up passengers for the event. 

If the event has security, you need to include a number for the security company in case you have any issues. Rather than try to deal with a security guard, it is better to call the office of the security company. This number should be immediately available. If you are using a two-way radio system, you should have your transmit and receive frequencies along with your PL Code so others using radios can program their radios to communicate with your coordinator if needed. Communications is the key to the success of managing a large event, so be prepared to communicate with anyone you need.

The Maps Tab

Have maps of every area you might need. This includes road closure maps, backstage entrance routes, maps of offsite facilities such as FBOs, large hotel properties, airports, and any other place one of your vehicles might end up needing directions for. Having the maps in one place will make it easy for the coordinator to help a driver who gets lost. Make sure to include extra copies you can tear out and give to others if needed.

The Contract Tab

Having a copy of the contract for the particular job can be helpful in case of a discrepancy over how the job is being handled or if the client should ask how much extra they might have to pay for a deviation in the requested service. 

Vehicles & Employees Tab

This important document should contain a list of every employee working the event showing their expected start and end times, their cell phone numbers (even though it is on the communications page), the vehicles or job duties assigned, and a place to check them in or out of their assignments as well as tracking mandatory rest breaks during the event.

The vehicle list should include every vehicle assigned and the passenger capacity, color, and license plate number for each. Having the license number can help others on the property identify your vehicles. The list should be cross-referenced with who is assigned to drive it and the driver’s cell number — again.

Emergency Plans Tab

Emergency evacuation routes should be planned in advance and communicated to each employee working the event. A code should be established that would alert all employees by text or radio. The code could be as simple as “999” to indicate that emergency plans have been implemented.

The Emergency Plan should include at least two different routes out of the facility and a predefined meeting point offsite at least two miles away where drivers can take their passengers to await further instructions. If law enforcement is assigned to work the event, ask if you can have a contact number for the officer in charge of the event. Keep this phone number on the communications page and within the emergency plan page.

Smooth Operations provides a broad range of information focused on new ideas and approaches in management, human resources, customer service, marketing, networking and technology. Have something to share or would like covered? You can reach LCT contributing editor and California operator Jim Luff at Jim@LCTmag.com.

Keywords

communications   emergency preparedness   employee management   Fleet Vehicles   mapping & routing   special events   working with event planners   

 

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School Activities: Are They Worth It?

Schools offer many opportunities to transport students to sporting events while providing vehicles for parent booster clubs, proms, formals, and graduations. Almost none of these activities will be paid by the school itself, but rather organizations and students. You must consider many factors. No matter who pays the bill, you have to abide by school rules.

Getting In The Door
You have probably received a call from a student selling advertisements for the school yearbook or the student newspaper. Maybe you bought the ad hoping to get some business out of it for prom, formals, or graduation. Save your money! Kids don’t care about your ad or have any loyalty to companies that buy a yearbook ad. The yearbook isn’t even distributed until the end of the school year. Don’t advertise for proms or formals either. The kids will be calling every company in town looking for availability and a deal. You don’t need to advertise to get them to call.

If you want to get noticed by a school and spend some money, become a sponsor. School sponsorships enable you to help out, which can earn earn you loyalty. From sponsoring a school play to sports teams, the tax dollars supporting extracurricular activities have shrunk to nearly nothing. As a result, school groups must sell everything from candy and popcorn to holding car washes.

What Are The Opportunities?
You may wonder what type of transportation a school needs. From traveling on field trips to out of town sports events, parents and students alike have to travel for many reasons. Schools commonly have parent booster clubs who will travel to “away” games to watch their kids play. They may want to travel in “adult style” with a cocktail in hand on the way to or from the game. It is not our job to judge them. It’s our job to get them there safely and back home while collecting their money. Remember those fundraisers mentioned above? Many offer the highest product sellers a lunch reward that includes limo transportation. The fundraising company pays for the trip. Having a relationship with the school makes you the shoo-in for the job as they won’t let their students jump in just any vehicle.

About Getting Paid
Schools use complex accounting systems. It is unlikely money would ever come from the school or district funds, although they will pay the bill using a warrant that works the same as a check. The actual funds used to pay you will come from a PTA (Parent Teacher Association) group or club that may be recognized as a non-profit organization. Some PTA groups have their own bank accounts and pay their own bills. Other times, organizations such as the football team may have their raised monies deposited into a separate bank account controlled by the school. In this case, you will have to submit an invoice and be prepared to wait as long as 60 days for payment. In other situations, such as parent booster clubs, the parents directly pay the funds. It could be individual payments or one person serving as the ringleader who collects the money from the participants; be wary of this. If the trip goes into overtime, the person who paid might deny responsibility for the overtime expense. Make sure your contract with an individual clearly defines his or her responsibility for payment of any additional charges. It’s up to that individual to collect from the others.

Special Licenses And Certifications
Most schools will require drivers to be certified to drive students. Many states refer to it as a SPAB certification. SPAB stands for School Pupil Activity Bus. The certificate is required to transport students to and from school-related events, such as field trips and grad night trips. Getting SPAB certified generally involves a certificate course, a written test, background check, fingerprinting, and medical exam to make sure the driver is safe to be around children. For purposes of transporting children, a van or a limousine is considered a “school pupil activity bus.”

Additionally, if a vehicle falls under DOT regulations, which is any vehicle with a passenger capacity exceeding eight people (including the driver) and operating “for-hire,” the vehicle must be certified to carry school children from kindergarten through high school. Vehicles are inspected annually and the permit showing the vehicle inspection date must be displayed in the vehicle. For more information about DOT regulations, visit the FMSCA website: (http://ift.tt/2pkTpCh).

Schools emphasize the safety of their students. Their transportation is managed by the director of transportation, whether in a school bus or a chartered limousine. Many school districts require any driver of school pupils to be SPAB certified even if the vehicle itself is not SPAB certified. Drivers should be prepared to have their credentials inspected before loading passengers.

Getting Drivers And Vehicles Certified
If you want to get into the business of transporting school aged passengers, the first step is to get your vehicles certified. This involves your state Highway Patrol or police certifying the vehicle. Ask to speak to the “school bus officer.” They will guide you in the steps you need to take for your local area, and may be able to refer you to school bus driver classes held by a local school district. Your drivers may be charged a fee to attend the class since they are not employed by the district, but will become fully certified through the class.

Inspections
Schools are big on safety inspections. If you are planning to work a school event, your vehicle may be inspected upon arriving at a school facility. This could include your trunk being inspected upon arrival or departure from proms. Even if parents booked and paid for the trip via a contract, your vehicle is subject to inspection if you are dropping off or picking up at any official school function. If carrying children from the school udner arrangements made by the school, the inspection can also include a full pre-trip safety check of tires, lighting equipment, brake systems, emergency exit operations, and engine compartment. They are entrusted with the lives of the students and take the transportation of children seriously.

Defining School Facilities
There is a common misconception that an off-campus school event is considered to be on private property and expempt from school jurisdiction. The truth is any official student activity is considered school property, even if it’s not at school system property or facilities. For instance, if a prom is held at a private country club, the club is considered school property until the event ends. All rules, policies, and authority are in effect as if the event were held on campus. Don’t try to argue with school officials you are on private property. The law is in their favor.

Who To Market To
• School PTA
• School activities coordinator
• School transportation director
• School fundraising companies in your area (ask the school who they are)
• School clubs
• School athletic director
• Parent Booster Club president

Best Practices
• Make sure drivers working school jobs have credentials in hand during the trip.
• Make sure vehicle certificate is displayed and up to date.
• Make sure vehicle registration and insurance certificates are ready for inspection.
• Make sure all emergency exits and alarms are properly working.
• Complete a thorough pre-trip inspection before arriving at a school campus.
• Cooperate with school officials for all inspections.
• Follow all school rules and make students comply with school rules.
• Treat offsite school events the same as you would onsite events.
• Drivers should function as school chaperones and keep children safe at all times.

Keywords

bus regulations   How To   passenger safety   proms   student transportation   

 

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How To Shop For A New Fleet Vehicle

Shopping for a new vehicle is a daunting task. Whether you are buying a simple sedan or a luxury bus, you have much to decide, from where you will purchase to how you will pay for the vehicle. Here is simple guide to help you through the process.

1. Do You Need It?
Many operators have been cast into financial perils by deals too good to pass up. The most enticing ones offer no down payment or no payments for the first three months. While these may look good, you should not consider adding a vehicle to your fleet unless there is a customer demand you consistently can’t fill, you need to replace a retiring vehicle, or you want to expand into a new market within your area. Never let a sales gimmick or offer cause you to make an impulse buy.

2. What Do You Need?
When adding vehicles to your fleet, consider exactly what you need. Are you farming out sedan jobs daily? Do you want to break into the shuttle business and need your first shuttle bus? Do you have a sedan with 200,000 miles on it that needs to be replaced? Whatever compels you to shop for a new vehicle should be based on facts, previous growth history, and projections into the future. You likely will be locked into this purchase for three to six years, and you don’t want to be left with a gigantic paperweight.

3. What Do You Want?
Once you determine what type of vehicle you are shopping for, zero in on the options available. The list includes built-in Wi-Fi systems, specialized sound systems, seatbelts, or no seatbelts. Think about whether you want your bus to have a P.A. system or not. Do you want your new bus to have a restroom? Have you thought about servicing a restroom and where you will dump it? Know before you go!

4. How Will You Pay For It?
Having a letter of credit issued by your bank or finance company can give you considerable clout. It shows the sales rep you are serious and you have financing already secured. To the sales rep, this is the same as cash. Use that as leverage in your price negotiation. They may tell you cash or financing doesn’t matter to them, but it does! Make sure you know what your payments will be on various levels such as $50,000, $75,000, and $100,000 so you are comfortable with your monthly payments against the potential revenue.

5. Always Do A Test Drive
Because almost every vehicle purchased in our industry has been modified by a third-party manufacturer, always take the vehicle for a drive on city streets as well as the highway to see how it handles on the road. Make sure you check the A/C and heating systems. Some extended vehicles come with only standard A/C systems, which may be inadequate to supply demand on hot summer days with lots of warm bodies. Look for vehicles with enhanced A/C.

6. Insurance Matters
Don’t forget to discuss your new purchase with your insurance company before you buy the vehicle. If you have no experience running buses, your insurance premium will be higher than one for an operator with five buses. More than one operator has bought a specialty vehicle only to be unable to insure it for various reasons including unapproved (non QVM) manufacturers, lack of operational experience, or the insurance company simply didn’t want to insure the vehicle. Many operators have bought their first party bus and expected the insurance to be more than a limousine but never expected it would be 10 times the amount. Ask before you buy!

Smooth Operations provides a broad range of information focused on new ideas and approaches in management, human resources, customer service, marketing, networking and technology. Have something to share or would like covered? You can reach LCT contributing editor and California operator Jim Luff at Jim@LCTmag.com.

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