Trump Campaigner, Tech Expert Have A Lot To Teach You

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — LCT’s annual Leadership Summit never fails to provide the industry with the next big topics worth talking about.

Nothing is shaking up the chauffeured transportation industry more this year than Trump and technology: How far will the new administration be able to go in helping Main Street businesses? What will be their approach to TNCs? How will technology determine the success for failure of limousine operations?

Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski will speak Monday, May 22 at 11 a.m. in a session titled, “How The Trump Administration Will Impact Our Industry.”

Lewandowski is a veteran political operative, lobbyist, and political commentator who now appears on the America News Network (OANN) and Fox News Channel (FNC). He previously was a political commentator for CNN. Lewandowski ran Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign for President from January 2015 to June 2016.

The next day at 11:15 a.m., technology author, speaker, and blogger Brian Solis, rated one of the top 50 technology speakers in the world, will present “Customer Experience (CX) and the Technology Movement.”

Solis will speak to the trend of companies using “CXOs,” Customer Experience Officers, who focus on new ways of enhancing customer experiences. For the limousine industry, customer experiences and service are one area it can excel and outdo transportation network companies (TNCs).

Solis, author of “What’s The Future of Business” and “The End of Business As Usual,” also will explain how advances in artificial intelligence technology can help operators “super-size” the customer experience.

The LCT Leadership Summit, to be held May 21-23 at the Nobu Hotel at Eden Roc, provides operators a three-day luxury retreat focused on the future of the industry, intimate networking, and bonding through recreational and social activities.

REGISTRATION HERE

Keywords

industry leaders   keynote speakers   LCT Leadership Summit   leadership   Miami Beach   networking   

 

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Couple Finds Strong Affiliation During LCT Show

LAS VEGAS — While some people attended the recent International LCT Show specifically to network for business, Gary Hanes and Antoinette Woodmansee took their new connection to a higher level when they decided upon an impromptu wedding during the Show.

Just a few logistics the young couple still needs to work out, however. Hanes lives in Ft. Collins, Colo., and Woodmansee lives in Madison, Wisc. Both are employed in the industry and were brought along by their respective employers. Hanes, 30, is a chauffeur for NoCo Party Bus; Woodmansee, 22, is an office manager for Mad City Limo. Neither has ever been married.

This was their first time visiting Las Vegas, a city filled with 24-hour wedding chapels and a 24-hour county clerk’s office. It is a place famed for eloped marriages. Although many people travel to Vegas to marry, not many can claim to have met their future spouse at a professional trade show — and got married the same night.

They both sat at the same dinner table during the annual Awards Banquet. Neither paid any attention to the other. It wasn’t until later in the evening when the couple dropped in to the Amerifuels private suite party at the same time that sparks began to fly. It was a chance meeting and a chance conversation with others about barbecued food that caused the two to lock eyes for the first time. During the discussion about barbecue, Woodmansee said to Hanes, “We need to be friends.” A few minutes later, she asked him if he knew how to cook. He told her that he did indeed cook. She then said, “We should get married,” and as they say, the rest is history.

With that, Hanes’ boss ordered up a limo bus and a group of her friends and his friends headed off to the Stained Glass Chapel where they were married in a mock ceremony. Mock, because they didn’t have the required marriage license from Clark County, Nev. However, they did get one in the morning and went back for a quickie legal ceremony with license in hand.

As for the future, neither one knows what it holds. They didn’t have any dreams about what lies in the future as they had no past discussions. While they have spoken about Woodmansee moving to Ft. Collins, a move to Wisconsin might be in the future for Hanes. Woodmansee is visiting Ft. Collins this week to possibly evaluate moving there.

“I know it will be a difficult road but like I told her I am a very dedicated man and I am committed,” Hanes says. “This is something that I really want to make work I see us eventually having our own business and running it together.”

Keywords

Colorado operators   ILCT 2017   networking   weddings   Wisconsin operators   

 

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Uber Ditching Denmark

The TNC juggernaut is shutting down its services in the European country on April 18 after failing to persuade the government to change the law on taxis to accommodate its business model.

CNN Tech article here

Keywords

European operators   regulatory enforcement   TNCs   Uber   

 

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Chicago Cracks Down On Illegal Party Buses

Mayor Rahm Emanuel will introduce a new ordinance this week that cracks down on illegal party buses in Chicago, city officials announced.

“The party is over for bus operators who don’t play by the rules in the city of Chicago,” Mayor Emanuel said in a statement. “This is a smart approach to hold problem operators accountable and boost safety on the many reputable buses throughout the city.”

CBS Chicago article here

Keywords

Chicago operators   criminal incidents   party buses   passenger safety   regulatory enforcement   safety   state regulations   

 

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Parent Company Of MCI Soars Past $2 Billion In Revenue

New Flyer, a bus manufacturer headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, posted a revenue increase of 47.8% to $2.3 billion and a 131.7% bump in profit to $124.9 million for 2016 compared to the year before.

After its first full year of ownership of Motor Coach Industries, New Flyer beat most analysts’ estimates for the quarter and the year.

Winnipeg Free Press article here

Keywords

bus manufacturers   charter and tour   MCI   motorcoaches   revenue growth   revenues   

 

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What Traveling Women Really Want

Girls just wanna have fun, it’s true. And maybe diamonds could be their best friend, but don’t let those light-hearted adages mislead you about what female travelers want and need.

These days, nearly 25% of business travelers are women, and they have different risks and concerns associated with journeying solo. A recent Business Travel Executive (BTE) article interviewed Michell Lee, founder and CEO of Women in Travel (WINiT), a network of women and men who support the development of women in the business travel industry.

“In most cases, I hold the view the challenges we face with international business travel are gender neutral,” Lee tells BTE. “Women and men both need to educate themselves on local laws and customs, ensure they adjust their approach out of respect for each culture, and familiarize themselves on high risk locations. That said, there is no dispute that physically women are at a disadvantage when it comes to safety and security.”

Know Your Client’s Needs

With the endless headlines on how transportation network companies (TNCs) give short shrift to safety, chauffeured transportation companies have a golden opportunity to show how they provide superior travel experiences for women. Constantly looking into how to improve this sense of security can lead to preserving and growing your market share among female business travelers.

Duty of care normally refers to the security and safety we bring to our clients. It requires we act toward others with watchfulness, attention, prudence, and caution based on the circumstances. However, maintaining duty of care for female travelers adds increased responsibility to our standard chauffeured car service. This isn’t hard to understand once you realize the difference in the watchfulness and attention women have when traveling alone.

Consider this: Men simply don’t do the things we do. Men don’t carry keys between their fingers, ready to harm an attacker, but women do this on every street. Men don’t worry about who is behind them in hotel hallways, but women notice it every time and will even walk past her own door until the male hotel guest goes into his room so he doesn’t know which room houses a female. We drop back after exiting hotel elevators so males are in front of us and not behind as we go to our hotel rooms. Descending to an underground parking lot may be a little uncomfortable for everyone who has watched enough film noire, but for women, it is very real — we often wait until another group is going down so as not to be alone in an isolated location. We aren’t necessarily paranoid, but precautious in providing our own duty of care. If a chauffeur has the same awareness, trust is built quickly.

Safe & Secure Women

Safety is part of our industry’s primary offerings and benefits. Our background checks, training, and DMV pull programs help ensure clients are in good hands. Unlike TNCs that do little to guarantee the integrity of their drivers, the limousine industry pledges to deliver a secure service.

For female clients, taking an extra step or two will help add a great sense of comfort and safety. Try these service tips for securing your female clients’ safety and their repeat business:

• Pre-pay for the ride: For female clients in the U.S. and abroad, eliminate the need for cash by always taking credit cards as payment for the complete service, including tip. The transaction is safer for both parties financially, and it also prevents a woman from having to open a purse and expose cash and credit cards. If this is not feasible in your operation, be sure to complete the transaction before the vehicle is unlocked and the doors opened.
• Offer female chauffeurs: In general, women trust women more than men. It’s a bond of safety we nurture, and a female chauffeur will ease fears of being with a strange man in a strange car, especially in a strange locale. Hire enough women yourself so you can offer women an alternative, and expect the same of your affiliates.
• Text or call at the airport: Landing in a strange airport alone has its perils. One of the most comforting gifts for any traveler is receiving a text or message as soon as a phone can be turned on while taxiing to the gate. Simply knowing the name of the chauffeur and how to reach him or her is very reassuring. No client, especially a woman, wants to wonder if the ride has arrived, nor does she appreciate being stuck looking for a reputable taxi driver or other ground transportation. Being alone in a strange place raises all sorts of warnings for women, so put them at ease once the plane is wheels down.
• Photos: Even better, invest in software that sends the chauffeur’s photo to make it easier for the client to find them. This also alleviates some fear in the wee hours. An early flight means a very early pick-up from a strange person at your home who knows your residence will be empty and vulnerable. Recognizing a pre-screened friendly face adds a modicum of safety.
• Confirm names and destinations: Just because someone has a sign with a name on it does not mean it feels safe to the female traveler. Telling travel plans to a stranger does not always feel comfortable. Just recently, I heard about a female client who did not want to give her name and destination to her male chauffeur. She figured he should already know that. Of course, he could have handled this in a variety of ways, simply by confirming her last name for starters. We must confirm we have the correct passengers, but we must also put them at ease.
• Luggage assistance: This is standard, of course, but it’s especially helpful for women. All those shoes get heavy, after all. This may not be a matter of safety as much as it is one of gender strength, as lifting a bag from a trunk is not easy. The person who invented luggage with wheels deserves a prize, but a little help goes a long way when a woman’s computer and personal bag keeps slipping off her shoulder.
• Offer a hotspot: This may seem like overkill, but I’ve heard female travelers ask for Wi-Fi in vehicles so their phones or computers can be tracked if anything goes awry. A physical assault would be terrible, but not being rescued quickly would be worse.
• Drop in a safe area: Drop off locations at larger hotels are usually well-manned, but boutique inns in a strange city at midnight or lower vacancy budget hotels in suburban areas can be dark and eerily quiet. If there is room to leave the vehicle for a moment, just walking a female passenger to the front door with her luggage alleviates some concern and adds a layer of security. Or at least wait until she is inside, especially if the hotel locks doors to non-keycard holders after 11 p.m.

Duty of care for women may be a touch more difficult than for male passengers, but since women make 80% of travel decisions, it is a small investment for future success. Cater to women, understand their needs in travel, and you will become their valuable diamond in ground transportation.

— adaniells@outlook.com

Keywords

chauffeur training   client markets   duty of care   passenger safety   safety   TNCs   women in the industry   

 

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Atlanta Airport Pushes Fingerprint Checks For Uber Drivers

ATLANTA – A battle over background checks for Uber drivers at the world’s busiest airport comes as cities like Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, consider more thorough screenings to prevent criminals from getting behind the wheel.

Uber has objected to the Atlanta airport’s plan to use fingerprints to check criminal records of its drivers, saying its own record checks are sufficient.

Fox News article here

Keywords

airport rules   airports   Atlanta operators   background checks   criminal incidents   driver behavior   Georgia operators   

 

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University of Michigan Student’s Uber Rant

Keywords

criminal incidents   difficult clients   driver behavior   Michigan operators   TNCs   Uber   video   

 

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NYTLC Preparing Anti-Harassment Rules For Cabbies

The city Taxi and Limousine Commission is getting up close and personal with its hacks about sexual harassment.

Taxi officials plan to add new definitions of sexual contact and sexual harassment to the rule book, plus implement tougher penalties against cabbies caught exhibiting behavior.

New York Daily News article here

Keywords

criminal incidents   driver behavior   driver safety   New York operators   New York Taxi & Limousine Commission   passenger safety   regulatory enforcement   Sexual Assault   taxis   

 

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College Frat Brat Rages Against Uber Driver In Viral Video

A profanity-filled rant by a University of Michigan student against an Uber driver has gone viral, drawing hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.

But the student, Jake Croman, who is Jewish, claims his rant is only half of the story. He says the driver set it off by making an anti-Semitic remark.

Croman is facing an investigation by the University of Michigan and by the fraternity he belongs to.

The video clip, shot by Uber driver Artur Zawada, was posted on March 23.

Click here to view the video.

Detroit Free Press article here

Keywords

criminal incidents   difficult clients   driver behavior   Michigan operators   TNCs   Uber   video   

 

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Builder Converts Traditional Limo With A Twist

ONTARIO, Calif. — Could we finally deep-six the notion the traditional stretch limousine is dead? We’ve been hearing that for years, but the stretch stubbornly seems to survive. If manufacturers keeping building it, and clients keep ordering it, then there must be some kind of a desire for the original livery vehicle type.

This 2015 Chrysler 300 five-door 140-inch stretch limousine proves that keeping a market pulse is all a matter of what you do to enhance an old concept. Built by custom converter Zara Coach Builders, the 300 stretch is now on sale for $64,000 at 19,000 miles at the online limo vehicle trader, Limoforsale.com.

SPECS, PHOTOS AND CONTACT INFO HERE

Among the many amenities appealing to a non-stuffy, new-school limo crowd: Fiber optic lighting, strobe lights, premium sound, touch screen entertainment, iPod aux integration, mood lighting, disco floor, leather seats, TV/DVD, etc.

Seller Comments: “J seating for 10 passengers…stainless steel ceiling with fiber optic…strobe lighting ceiling and side rail. Fiberglass bar w/ huge bucket for ice. Disco floor.”

Notice how often sellers of stretches use the term “disco” to describe features? Wasn’t disco supposed to be dead and gone with the 70s, a trendy victim of widespread ridicule and revolt? Remember those “Death Before Disco” T-shirts among heavy-metal heads and glam-rockers?

Well, disco music still plays to a wide audience, and the stretches are still rolling with disco lights and floors. Studio 54 lives on satellite radio. So, please, no more panicking at the disco about the the fading stretch. This 300 stretch looks good under the glare of any strobe light.

Keywords

Chrysler   Chrysler 300   custom coachbuilders   custom limousines   LimoForSale.com   online vehicle sales   stretch limousine   used vehicles   vehicle conversions   vehicle sales   

 

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9 Reasons Navigator Concept Points To The Future

Lincoln Motor Company president Kumar Galhotra told Autoblog last week the concept SUV serves as a “very strong” hint of what can be expect in the production model.

With several high-tech features and semi-autonomous capabilities, it’s worth taking a closer look at Lincoln’s concept car:

Tech Insider article and photos here

Related articles:

• Lincoln Unveils Navigator Concept
• New Navigator Concept Aims At Escalade Rival
• Debate: Is The Navigator Concept The New Lincoln-Continental?

Keywords

concept car   Lincoln Motor Company   Lincoln Navigator   new vehicles   SUV   vehicle debut   

 

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10 Features That Make Cadillac CT6 Sedan Luxurious

Cadillac first introduced the 2016 CT6 last March, but the car will hit the market next month and will start pricing at about $53,500 or $83,500 for a Platinum edition.

Here’s a look at some of the best features of the premium level sedan, which complements the Cadillac XTS livery sedan.

Tech Insider article here

For limousine industry details, see the cover story in the April issue of LCT Magazine.

Keywords

Cadillac   Cadillac CT6   new sedans   new vehicles   premium luxury sedans   vehicle debut   VIP service   

 

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BMW 750i Ranks Among Robb Report Cars Of The Year

When Robb Report judges ranked the BMW 750i xDrive highest among the large luxury sedans in this year’s competition, they favored it over cars that cost roughly two (Mercedes-Maybach S600) and three times (Bentley Mulsanne Speed) as much. 

Robb Report article and video here

Related LCT article here: BMW Redesigns Flagship Sedan For Elite Status

Keywords

BMW   BMW 7 series   new sedans   new vehicles   premium luxury sedans   VIP service   

 

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Robb Report Names Maybach S600 A Car Of The Year

Maybach, a brand Daimler revived from 2002 until 2012, has been reborn again, this time as Mercedes-Maybach. The inaugural model is the S600, and it’s essentially a Mercedes-Benz S-Class that has been sent to finishing school to add more technology, length, and luxury.

Robb Report article and video here

Keywords

Maybach   Mercedes-Benz   new sedans   new vehicles   premium luxury sedans   VIP service   

 

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