A Look At Presidential Limos Through History

Armored presidential limousines obviously go back a long way. Ford Motor Company built a stretched bulletproof Lincoln in the 1960s, and that car served Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.

ABC 7 article here

Keywords

armored vehicles   Donald Trump   history of the limo industry   Presidential limousines   stretch limousine   unique vehicles   

 

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Sales Of New, Used Motorcoaches Grow Steady In 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. –- The American Bus Association Foundation (ABAF) on Jan. 25 released the 2016 fourth quarter results of the quarterly Coach Builder Survey. Based on surveys of the major motorcoach manufacturers who sell vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, motorcoach sales from the participating manufacturers rose by 6.5% compared to the prior year to a total of 3,620 units (2,407 new coaches and 1,213 pre-owned coaches).

“2016 was a stellar year for motorcoach manufacturers,” ABA Foundation President Peter Pantuso said. “Last year showed a 3% growth in new motorcoach sales and a 14.3% growth in pre-owned coaches. As the industry continues to grow, operators are reinvesting their profits back into the comfort for their passengers.”

The survey showed the growth was dominated by sales to private firms in 2016. Overall, new coach sales to companies was up by more than 195 units (10.9% increase). This was offset somewhat by a reduction in sales to public sector agencies of 125 units. After a flat year in 2014, sales to private firms have risen steadily, suggesting investors are bullish on the sector, and that firms are upgrading equipment and opening up new opportunities.

Looking deeper, there has been a marked increase in the private sector sales of new small (30-<40-ft.) coaches compared to years past. In 2015, 184 vehicles were sold. Small coach sales in 2016 increased 44.6% to 266 vehicles. Meanwhile, sales of the largest coaches (45 ft. plus in length) stayed about the same.

“The increase in sales of smaller vehicles point to a shift that the motorcoach tourism industry has experienced over the past few years, as tours have become more specialized, catering to smaller groups and more diverse agendas,” Pantuso said.

About the Report
Data were collected by John Dunham & Associates for the American Bus Association Foundation. John Dunham & Associates is a New York City-based economic consulting firm specializing in the economics of fast moving issues. Data, which reflect updated results from prior reports, were collected by John Dunham & Associates for the American Bus Association Foundation. Changes in data definitions and reporting occurred over the past quarter and are reflected in these figures.

About the ABA Foundation
The American Bus Association Foundation (ABAF) is the scholarship and research arm of the motorcoach, tour and travel industry. The largest non-profit in motorcoach group travel, the ABAF distributes $100,000 a year in scholarships to industry families and invests in research to demonstrate the important role motorcoach transportation plays in society.

Keywords

American Bus Association   buses   industry trends   mini-buses   motorcoaches   statistics   vehicle sales   

 

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Uber CTO Goes Off On Trump In Email

Uber’s chief technology officer Thuan Pham blasted President Trump in an email to a small group of staff shortly after the 2016 presidential election, according to a report from Business Insider’s Biz Carson.

The email reportedly resurfaced this week, as more employees circulated the message internally.

CNBC article here

Keywords

Donald Trump   TNCs   Uber   

 

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Owner Of Burnt Limo Could Face $100,000 In Damages

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Protesters torched a limousine in Franklin Square amid Inauguration Day protests, and now the vehicle’s owner could lose up to $100,000 because of it.

If insurance covers it, he’s still looking at a cost between $30,000 to $40,000.

DCist.com article here

Previous article: Owner Says Loss May Not Be Covered

Keywords

Donald Trump   family businesses   limousine fires   limousine safety   safety   vehicle safety   Virginia operators   Washington DC operators   

 

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Time Almost Up To Become An Operator Of The Year

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — It’s time to get your materials together and send in your application for the 2017 Operator of the Year Awards. Winners will be announced and honored on Tuesday, March 14, 2017 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. during the LCT Magazine Awards Gala at the International LCT Show in the Sands Expo between The Palazzo and The Venetian Resort Hotel Casinos in Las Vegas.

There’s no excuse for dilly-dallying because it’s now easier than ever to apply with our online submission form that allows you to digitally attach supporting word docs or PDF files.

If you’re not sure where to even start, check out what some operators have already sent in here.

ENTRY FORM HERE (The form also can be accessed at the top of the LCTmag.com home page by clicking the “LCT Awards” link)

LCT gives the awards to six operators who excel in the areas of customer service, technology, training, media and marketing, safety, and community/industry involvement.

Winning operators in the past have enjoyed a boon in marketing potential and industry stature.

A panel of judges scores finalists in each of those categories for the following OOY awards: 1-10 fleet vehicles; 11-30 fleet vehicles; 31-50 fleet vehicles; 51+ fleet vehicles; motorcoach; and global/international.

Keywords

honors and awards   ILCT 2017   operator achievements   Operator of the Year Awards   

 

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Nine States To Be Driverless Car Testing Grounds

Last week, in one of its final acts under the Obama administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation designated 10 sites in nine states to serve as proving grounds for self-driving cars.

The selection came after a nationwide contest among testing centers that began in November, Bloomberg reports.

The Verge article here

Keywords

autonomous vehicles   driverless cars   federal regulations   self-driving vehicles   U.S. Department of Transportation   

 

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M&V Limousines Acquires Two Long Island Operations

COMMACK, N.Y. — With an eye on expansion and diversification throughout Long Island and New York City, M&V Limousines Ltd. has recently acquired Classic Coach and Lancelot Limos.

Company President & CEO Mark Vigliante said the acquisitions will help grow his budding special occasion and tour businesses, as well as launch a new shuttle/commuter bus service between New York City and Long Island.

With the acquisition of Classic Coach (which was in bankruptcy), M&V also bought Hampton Luxury Liner that Classic purchased in 2011. “We have plans to relaunch the Hampton Luxury Liner serving New York City to the Hamptons in spring 2017. It will be a mix of luxury and affordability for Hamptons-bound New York City folks,” Vigliante said.

To add to the diversity and panache of his growing wedding and special occasion business, M&V’s purchase of Lancelot included eight vehicles: Three antique cars, two party buses, a Bentley flying spur, and two limousines.

“We also purchased a trolley at auction from Classic Coach we used in last month’s Holiday Light Tours that caught great attention.” With these additional vehicles, M&V Limousines now has a total of 70 vehicles,” Vigliante said. The Lancelot name will remain.

Celebrating 24 years in business, M&V received SmartCEO’s Corporate Culture Award. In addition to being named as a 2017 Future50 company, which recognizes 50 of the region’s fastest growing, mid-sized companies.

Read Southampton Press story.

Keywords

business deals   business growth   mergers & acquisitions   New York operators   operation growth   

 

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