ETERNAL EMISSIONS: The specter of man-made global warming is morphing from speculative science into tawdry mythology, given recent developments.
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BUT NOT LEAN: The notion of having to make sacrifices to go green should remain taboo. Anyone who says otherwise is just thinking in a warm, little global box. For vehicles,
EXPECTATIONS REMAIN HIGH.
MORE REGS NEEDED? What are the leading causes and factors of motorcoach-related crashes?
2004, 2005, and 2008 were three of the highest five years in terms of motorcoach passenger and driver fatalities during 1991-2008. Greyhound is taking a CLOSER LOOK. MOTORCOACH ACTION SAFETY PLAN.
Business Travel News has released its 2009 Large Market Benchmarking Report: Finding Room For Making Ground Moves. The assessment summarizes a tough year for chauffeured transportation operators.
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Wishing You And Yours A Happy Thanksgiving and taking stock of all I am thankful for. . .
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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Jackson Limousine Service in Los Angeles is sponsoring its 22nd annual turkey giveaway today for an estimated 10,000 people.
LOCAL MEDIA REPORT HERE. The event serves as an example of how operators can make a positive difference in their communities and reputations. -- M.R.
PASSINGS: The recent funeral of New York operator Fred Boyce brought out the best in livery as his fellow operators from the Nassau Suffolk Limousine Association found an appropriate way to honor their colleague.
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ARSON SUSPECTED: A 10-year operator in North Austin lost his business to a fire, which even consumed all of his security cameras.
REPORT HERE.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? You can put lipstick on a pig. . . in this case, use a Toyota Prius platform and dress it up as a Lexus, but you still get the same below-chauffeured standard comfort, ride, and legroom. THIS REVIEW CONFIRMS why the industry should keep its comfort standards and not sell out to Avis-worthy compacts. -- M.R.
SAFETY FIRST: Whether seat belts are required on motorcoaches or not, the charter and bus industry provides some of the safest transportation available when you compare the number of deaths with overall miles traveled. But when there is an accident. . .
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RESTON LIMOUSINE: Operator/entrepreneur Kristina Bouweiri recently was honored by Toyota dealers in the Washington, D.C. area. . . Look for her Perspective article in the December/January issue of LCT Magazine.
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PUZZLED: What is so "baffling" about the
LATEST REPORT on global warming which shows it has stalled? What should be baffling is how many gullible people fell for this catastrophe hype despite ample scientific evidence contradicting the man-made global warming mythology. Even more foolhardy are those green "faith-based" believers who worry about climate change, hector eveyone else about it, and actually fork over money to buy carbon credits. Let's get back to making life greener -- via economic policies that put more greenbacks into businesses and households. -- M.R.
WORD GETS AROUND: First impressions are lasting and social media kills when it comes to bad customer service. . .
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NEW RULES: The issue of whether to add seatbelts to motorcoaches in the wake of deadly crashes seems to be coming to a head -- and with big headlines -- as the Department of Transportation issues new rules. . .
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HYBRID HIGHWAY: Is looking a bit greener, with the stamp of approval from Consumer Reports. The Ford Fusion Hybird made a splash at the LCT Eastern Conference last month, with Royale's stretched version. This appears to be the first livery vehicle that combines enough legroom wtih significant mileage savings. The CR review also praises the Prius, which is fine for commuters and consumers, but we all know is a non-starter in the luxury/livery category. -- M.R.
AIRLINE CABINS AS RETAIL SPOTS: This
New York Times article suggests: Why not sell limousine services or even tickets to Broadway shows? Yes, why not? The captive audiences in business class would be receptive to limousine/luxury transportation, especially if they could make reservations a few hours before landing.
NITTY-GRITTY ON YOUR CITY: One of the best tools for any operator looking to expand networks and affiliates and pursue new markets is research -- learning which U.S. cities are adding jobs in what industries. To that end, the
MILKEN INSTITUTE, a non-partisan economic think tank in Santa Monica, CA, has just released its annual study:
BEST PERFORMING CITIES 2009: Where America's Jobs Are Created and Sustained. In what appears to be a scattershot, uneven, and generally warped economic recovery, getting down to such micro-specifics is crucial to finding more business. -- M.R.
BUT WHAT'S THE WORD on the proposed new rules banning electronic devices? Are those delayed, too?
ARTICLE HERE.
MOTORCOACH SAFETY RULES: The daughter of a woman who died in the 2008 Sherman, Texas motorcoach crash talks back to Peter Pantuso, president of the American Bus Association, in THIS LETTER TO THE EDITOR. It highlights the challenges for the charter and tour industry as a handful of high profile crashes spur calls for more safety measures and regulations.
No matter where you work or what industry you swim in, these familiar lyrics can be too easily forgotten. They apply everywhere, all the time.
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CLIENT COURTSHIP: How do you pursue a potentially lucrative account as an outsider? When do you throw in the towel and move on?
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FOUL PLAY? Fall brings the football games that may rearrange some employees’ priorities.
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BLACK & GREEN SCENE:
A positive auto review in The New York Times of the Mercedes S400 Hybrid -- the green version of the ultra-luxurious S550 -- cites the fact that its downsized engine coupled with hybrid technologies actually delievers mileage savings, as opposed to the piecemeal approach of competitor vehicles.
In this case, giving up a V-8 for a V-6 is a worthwhile tradeoff when coupled with hybrid technology that saves on gas and emissions overall. -- M.R.
MAKING THE MOST OF MOTORCOACHES & MINI-BUSES: While retail forecasts for this holiday shopping season do not look robust, consumers are likely to be open to value-oriented experiences. Charter and tour companies are offering holiday and historical themed
LOCAL EXCURSIONS that can appeal to
travelers avoiding vacations this year. The concept can work as well for chauffeured transportation operators with mini-buses ideal for smaller-scale tours. -- M.R.
ANTICIPATING AN UPTURN: See the
LATEST SURVEY on the top recovering job markets in the U.S. These cities provide a clue as to where business activity and travel might increase demand for transportation.
U.K. AWARD: Fleet Directory has named the BMW 730Ld has been named the 2009 Chauffeur Car of the Year, with the judges highlighting its ‘exceptional’ fuel economy, running costs and luxury as the new benchmarks in its class.
QUESTION: With the news today that the national unemployment rate has reached an
Obamanable 10.2%, I must ask why news reports mention a recovery underway? Point for businesspeople to ponder: The official beginning of this recession has been declared as December 2007 when job losses started but GDP was still growing; yet now we are told the recession is over because GDP is growing again despite continuing job losses. You don't have to be an economist to understand that as long as workers are losing jobs, it's still a walking-talking-quacking-waddling-lagging duck of a recession. So next month will be the two-year mark. When the unemployment rate declines, then that should be the official end of the recession. Someone please tell the experts. -- M.R.
SHINING A LIGHT: When generous people need a hand themselves, will you be there to help them? A request for prayers and good wishes for Ken and Susie Martin of Stardust Cruises Limousine Service in Santa Maria, Calif. . .
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GOOD SAMARITANS: When was the last time you did something for someone without expecting anything in return? Friends of mine relayed this story about a Washington, D.C. operator who went above and beyond. Stories such as this one remind me that this is truly a great industry made up of nice people who work hard.
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MAINTENANCE: This week LCT.com went live with its fourth web channel, or micro-Web site, devoted to the topic of MAINTENANCE. The channel will draw upon content from the magazine, other fleet-related publicaitons run by Bobit Business Media, and industry suppliers.
The channel joins a digital content suite of three other channels launched earlier this year, DRIVING GREEN, TECHNOLOGY, and FINANCE & INSURANCE. The combination of the four channels, the weekly E-News edition, LCT Blog, and the Web site reaffirms that LCT Magazine is THE ONE AND ONLY B2B information provider that offers consistent digital content for the chauffeured transportation and charter and tour industries. No other publication matches our output or content. And in case you wonder, the name "Rehab Center" does not refer to nor implicate any industry alcoholics. Rather it was a working name that will be replaced with the more simple moniker of maintenance. -- Martin Romjue, LCT editor
ISSUE ON ITS WAY: LCT's combined Oct/Nov issue brings annual coverage of development in Technology and Finance & Insurance. For technology articles, please visit the TECHNOLOGY CHANNEL in the next few weeks. Coverage of finance, insurance, and leasing can be found on the F&I CHANNEL.
ON LCTMAG.COM THIS MONTH, see the LATEST MAGAZINE FEATURES:
Check out the 27 steps to BUILDING A STRONGER AFFILIATE BUSINESS.
Learn the most effective ways to PREVENT VEHICLE THEFTS AND BREAK-INS.
See the VINTAGE LIMOUSINE perfect for weddings without all the vexations.
Chalmers Automotive has adapted a Mercedes-Benz chassis for MULTIPLE MINI-BUS MODELS.
Finally, LCT Publisher Sara Eastwood-McLean gets downright MYSTICAL ABOUT THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY. Don't forget to subscribe to LCT Magazine's "weekly newspaper in your e-mail box," LCT E-NEWS. -- Martin Romjue, LCT editor