Recommendations for a Professional Chauffeur Kit
Recently I saw a post on Limos.com requesting ideas on what to put in a chauffeur's bag of tricks. I immediately thought of a list I had put together years ago.
I realized that since the list was created back when I was driving, there have been many changes in technology. The original list of tools appears below but I wanted to point out some of the changes that have occurred since the 90s that make many of the items on the list obsolete and now somewhat amusing to me. Please remember that the list was made for my employees working in Central and Southern California, so you will need to modify the list to suit your geographic area.
Of course, Thomas Guides have been replaced by GPS systems. Everyone has a calculator on their phones, but with the advent of computerized dispatching and trip tickets, calculating a client’s bill at the end of the trip is almost a non-existent situation. Cell phones also can function as an alarm clock and a GPS system. Disposable cameras for documenting accident scenes have also been replaced by cell phones. Clients actually can use a cell phone to sign for their credit card charges, so the old carbon credit card slips are also obsolete.
The cell phone has certainly become a staple of the industry since the 90s and replaced many of the tools we once needed while lightening the chauffeur bag considerably. I hope you find the list to be practical and a look back to our past.
— Jim Luff, LCT contributing editor
Tools of the Professional Chauffeur
Personal Items
r Local Thomas Guide
r Los Angeles Thomas Guide
r Los Angeles Tour/Restaurant Guide
r Umbrella
r Flashlight
r Cigarette Lighter
r Corkscrew/Bottle Opener
r Trash Bags
r Black Marker Pen (Sharpie)
r Jumbo Index Cards or Paper
r Calculator
r Travel Alarm Clock
r Duct Tape
r Super Glue
r Screw drivers (both types)
r Crescent Wrench
r Pliers/Wire cutters
r Tylenol
r Ant-Acid/Pepto/Tums
r Breath Mints
r Visine
r Disposable Camera
r Sewing Kit (buttons,safety pins, etc)
r Clear fingernail polish
r Rubber bands
r Spare change for meters
r Lint brush
r Hairbrush/Comb
r Business Cards
r Envelopes
r Receipt Book/CC Receipts
Vehicle Items
r Latex Gloves
r Glass Cleaner
r Air Freshener
r Clip Board
r First Aid Kit
r Bar Towels
r Bath Towels
r Brochures
Print | posted on Wednesday, May 04, 2011 3:18 PM