WHAT A GREAT SHOW: I grow professionally every time I go, and meeting new people motivates me for the whole year. . .
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IN THE NEWS: 2010 Operator Of The Year winner Bill Atkins is quoted in a media report about the
$1 BILLION INCREASE in levies to fund the New Jersey unemployment fund, which hurts smaller operators and businesses such as
Red Bank Limo.
EXTREME MEASURES? The New Taxi and Limousine Commission's new rules on electronic devices go into effect today; unfortunately, moderation is not a virtue. . .
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LAS VEGAS: Here's a random round-up of info items from this week's International LCT Show, including award winners, favorite quotes, and a nugget from Scott Solombrino. . .
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LCT EDITOR Martin Romjue anticipates the "talk of the town" at the International LCT Show in Las Vegas, starting this weekend. . .
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ACQUISITION: Operator John Olinger bought the company of operator Eric Weiner on Jan. 13, forming a Providence-based powerhouse in the New England chauffeured transportation market. The deal, arranged by industry business consultant Tom Mazza, was announced “on the eve of the LCT Show.” That’s good timing for some strong buzz, giving showgoers even more to talk about in the wake of the Dav El/Hertz deal. . .
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FIRST IN LINE: Cadillac Professional Vehicles offers a new round of incentives on its chauffeured vehicles just in time for the International LCT Show in Las Vegas, starting Monday. The incentive announcement from Cadillac captures the message of all exhibitors and vendors: SPEND, SPEND, SPEND. . .
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OPERATORS: Are you planning to buy either a 2010 or 2011 model year Lincoln Town Car Executive L for your fleet? See poll at the middle of the LCT Home Page.
DOING WHAT OTHERS WON'T: The family that owns and runs Krystal Transportation & Limousine Service in San Antonio uses several techniques that other operators may find useful:
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PARTY MOBILES: This Armor Horse vault-model limo fleet is bound to be a big hit with football fans for the upcoming Super Bowl XLIV in Miami on Feb. 7.
GOOD MARKETING: LimoRes of New York has found a direct way to win over the middle class traveler, a vast potential client market for those chauffeured transportation companies that know how to get the point across. Showing value comparisons between Town Cars and taxis helps inform travelers who would have never considered chauffeured service, or who misperceive it as an elite option.
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DRIVE AWAY CAM: Whether by design or via a business model that wasn’t very well thought out, DriveCam has made it clear they don’t want to do business with our industry.
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WE LINK, YOU DECIDE: 13 is not a lucky number, but herewith are some
interesting points about ethanol, which should spur some questions.
NEW BLOG: One industry blogger has addressed the "third rail" of green politics, namely, the issue of counting your carbon.
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FLEET NUMBERS and OPERATOR COUNTS may always be a source of debate in this industry, but even a novice can see that
THIS STATISTIC is absurd. For the record, LCT's 100 Largest Fleets List had Scott Solombrino, CEO of Dav El, reporting 879 company owned vehicles as of July 2009. "Running" 15,000 vehicles worldwide is not the same as being connected to a worldwide affiliate network that may have a combined 15k vehicles. -- M.R.
ROYALE JOURNEY:
Steve Edelmann, director of sales at Royale Limousine Manufacturers in Haverhill, Mass., is taking the Royale Ford Fusion Hybrid L on a meet-and-greet-and-drive tour from San Francisco to Los Angeles next week, with plans to meet with operators in SF on Monday/Tuesday and in L.A. on Thursday/Friday. He then heads out to the International LCT Show in Las Vegas by Sunday. But on Wednesday, Edelmann takes the QVM Ford-certified Fusion Hybrid on the 400-mile/8-hour trip down the coast between the two cities. [TIP: Take the 101 so you can stop in Santa Barbara].
This is a chance for operators interested in seeing the extended hybrid livery sedan in action. It is the first viable black livery sedan to hit the market that combines the gas mileage of a compact (41 mpg) and plenty of legroom (extra 6 inches). With California being among the greener states, this vehicle should get a globally warm reception all the way around. Those interested in meeting Steve and the Hybrid in either city or along the way should contact him at (978) 771-6466 or steve@royalelimo.com-- M.R.
NOT EXACTLY A SCHOOL BUS: Operators who look the other way when teens drink on a party bus could face penalties under state legislation being considered in Oklahoma. Senate Bill 1762 would make it illegal for anyone owning or operating a hired bus or limo to "knowingly transport" minors who were drinking or in possession of alcohol.
STORY AND VIDEO.
GREATER CALIFORNIA LIVERY ASSOCIATION: The industry group representing the state with the most operators has completed its list of officers, directors, and vendor directors for 2010. . . a WHO'S WHO of the Golden State's chauffeured transportation scene. . .
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CO-BRANDED: Article in
BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS. . . Also, key source tells LCT this deal could be a "game-changer" for the chauffeured transportation industry as more large operators and rental car companies might strike deals to bundle/cross-promote ground transportation to cost-conscious companies looking to streamline business travel expenses. . . That would benefit affiliates connected to the major operators aligned with rental car company deals, but pose new challenges for regional independent operator not connected to chauffeur/rental car combo ventures. . . Expect more downward, competitive pricing pressures in major cities and markets for chauffeured service. . . More such deals could be coming in 2010. . .
CONCEPT TO LIMO SEDAN?
Cadillac debuted the 2010 Cadillac XTS Platinum concept sedan, with plug-in/hybird features, at the Detroit Auto Show recently. As one of the two leading manufacturers of livery vehicles, all eyes are on 2012 when Cadillac could release the successor sedan to the DTS and DTS-L. Ray Bush, Cadillac professional vehicle program manager, said in a statement: "We are very excited about Cadillac's future. The XTS is a very realistic concept vehicle." A concept vehicle is called such since certain mechanical details and/or amenities could still change before a final production version is built.
MORE PHOTOS OF CADILLAC XTS PLATINUM HERE.
As the chauffeured transportation industry awaits official word of sucessor models to both the Lincoln Town Car and the DTS, Cadillac is certainly dropping some heavy hints in order to build buzz toward the day when it releases the final version of its new model. Ford so far will officially say only that the Lincoln Town Car is planned through model year 2011. If/when new Cadillac and Lincoln livery sedan models are announced, possibly within a year or two of each other, the chauffeured transportation indusry will take one big buying leap into a new generation of workhorse luxury vehicles. -- M.R.
GETTING IT TOGETHER: By now, I have mastered the art of preparing for and getting the most out of the International LCT Show. How do you stack up?
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INFO MINING: There are
MANY WAYS TO MARKET when you have a solid database of customer and potential client contacts. It's all a matter of asking the right questions and tracking the answers through sophisticated software.
EVEN IF IT'S ACROSS THE POND: The British version of LCT,
TheChauffeur.com, found some dismal industry trends for 2009 similar to those of the U.S. in a recent survey, but also strong indications that
interest in buying limos is picking up again. LCT's definitive operator survey is out and about with a Feb. 5 deadline for our annual Fact Book, to be published one month earlier this year, in May. We'll know soon how strong the industry is trending toward more sales and customer activity. -- M.R.
CAPITALIZE ON GLOBAL COOLING: Who would've thought a limousine could be converted into an
ICE-FISHING HUT?
IF DRIVERS HAD LOOSE LIPS: Actually, they can in the blogosphere. This NEW BUS BLOG from the University Transit Service in Charlottesville, Va., tells it like it is. It has the potential to become consistently comical, although given what we hear from operators and chauffeurs, the limo industry could easily top these tales. -- M.R.
200 JOBS RATED: This
latest jobs survey proves that the perceived difficulties and stresses associated with a job are never exactly what they seem. Chauffeur (No. 160) ranked behind bus driver (No. 137) but ahead of taxi driver (No. 194). Depending on what you do and how well you do it, you might not have it so bad after all, despite chronic job dissastisfaction in America. -- M.R.
CHRISTMAS REPORT: The Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association offers a heartwarming account of how operators and their families and employees rallied for the association's annual Limo By Santa event on Dec. 14 at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. Participating PRLA members were Aries Limousine, Global Limousine Service, Private Coach Limousine Service, and Profile Transportation Service. . .
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MODEL PROMOTION: David Bastian, commercial sales manager, of
Towne Livery (Towne Automotive Group), has taken a bold approach to promoting his dealership; a YouTube video pointing potential clients to the
TOWNE LIVERY EXHIBIT at the
International LCT Show Jan. 25-27 in Las Vegas.
ANOTHER VERSION HERE. LCT Publisher Sara Eastwood-McLean cites it as an
outstanding example of how an exhibitor should be self promoting at this event. -- M.R.
CONSUMER REPORTS: Delivers
the final verdict; the Lexus 250h is a costly, overglorified compact Toyota Prius. Operators looking for green should beware.
NOTHIN' BUT BETTER TIMES AHEAD: There is something about the New Year celebration that is almost like wiping a slate clean. . .
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EASY TO PLEASE CLIENTS: Never underestimate the willingness of people to spend on and pamper their pets, even during a recession. With pet massage parlors, gourmet treat shops, PetSmart department stores, and first-class kennel services catering to middle class pet owners, why not
LIMO SERVICES FOR PETS? The investment would be minimal: A used limousine with seats and a few open windows (dogs love to look out). And pets won't complain about the lack of a wet bar and entertainment systems. -- M.R.
DUMBO GOVMINT: The chauffeured transportation industry is awash in regulations at all levels, some of them conflicting and confusing. But this gem nicely sums up the ineptitude among some regulators. . .
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DRINKING & CHAUFFEURING: New Year's Eve turns out to be a DUD NIGHT for many operators; but there are still enough drunks out there to provide plenty of business. The challenge is to get the limo message out. Using SCARY DUI ARREST IMAGES might be one marketing approach. This limousine company takes a different approach: DRINK UP AND WE'LL DRIVE. But does operating a limo like a cab by charging for every tenth-mile qualify as chauffeured transportation? That may be another topic for another day, but the concept of providing complimentary booze to a group of limousine clients staying off the road can bring benefits all the way around. -- M.R.