GLOBAL WARMING DISSENT: If dissent is truly patriotic, then let us indulge some more skepticism and subversion on global warming hysteria, especially as the northern half of the U.S. glosses into a massive ice-over. . .
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UNAFFORDABLE, IMPRACTICAL LUXURY: We don't know of any operators who rent out a Bentley -- yet -- but even the highest of the high end is going bio-chic, as in ethanol and other fuels made from our food supply. We at LCT have an overt hostility to bio-fuels. The spectre of rich clients and royal families floating along in Bentleys supplied by the foodstuffs of lesser mortals really rubs us raw. This
auto green blog makes a good point about clean diesel as a more sensible option. Mercedes (
www.MBUSA.com) has hit upon the right formual of clean diesel and low-emissions with its
Mercedes R-320 BlueTec model, new for 2009. This ideal vehicle for livery will be reviewed in the March issue of LCT Magazine. -- M.R.
GREEN & LEAN: No two words will better describe the trajectory of chauffeured transportation in the next few years; the combination of green and economic pressures will squeeze operators increasingly toward the motorcoach business.
In fact, this blog entry sums up the advantages and appeal of big buses. While we think counting carbon footprints is silly, the much more substantive reasons for eco-busing stand: reduce consumption of oil, clean up the air, take more vehicles off the road, and promote the safety and ease of group ground transportation.
Look for the private sector to seek out motorcoaches for both corporate and recreational transportation needs. It's cheap, comfortable, and chauffeured. -- M.R.
PARADIGM SHIFT? After a painful bout of hyper-inflation for gas this year, the ensuing credit collapse, and the dunking of the Detroit 3, we very likely will see a permanent shift in vehicle preferences. The three factors just mentioned only strengthen the market for greener vehicles -- luxury and everything else.
More evidence here. -- M.R.
NO, NOT THE UGLY CAR: The climate experts! Once more, we see a news report about some unusual evidence of climate cooling. What should arouse our skepticism is the seemingly knee-jerk qualifier that always crops up in these type of climate accounts. . . .
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CLEAN BUSING: Mountainbikers, hikers, and outdoor recreationists are a potential new market for greener livery, given the growing popularity of eco-vacations and eco-tours among members of Gens X and Y. One
Colorado operator has capitalized on connecting clean ground transportation with the even cleaner pursuits of biking and hiking. -- M.R.
MY HOW THINGS CHANGE: The
Los Angeles Auto Show is considered the first major auto industry event for the new model year. It used to be in January, but ever since being moved to November, it's competed less with auto shows in Detroit and New York and has provided a first-look at cool new stuff. The irony this year is that GM and Chrysler gave it a thumbs down, and Ford was the only Big 3 manufacturer to attend and show its cars. The Detroit automakers must keep their costs well trimmed, so it's not surprising they stayed home. Another interesting part of the L.A. Auto Show is the central focus on green, altnernative-fuel vehicles, even as auto sales plummet down and gas prices go the same route. -- J.L.
NO HOPE LEFT FOR LIVERY? The Obama-inaugural-mania appears to have consumed available chauffeur and livery vehicle services in the greater Washington, D.C. area. A
DCExaminer.com article interviews Richard Kane, CEO of International Limousine Service of Washington, D.C., and Richard Alexander, owner of RMA Limousine in Rockville, Md., about the avalanche of requests for high-end luxury vehicles. That's good for chauffeured transportation, but politically speaking, does anyone from the incoming Obama adminstration or its ranks of supporters care to pedal into D.C. on a bike? Wouldn't that be making a positive green statement? For a political clique that seems so serious about going green, they sure don't hesitate to ride around in the black. -- M.R.
SUPREME LIMO: No limousine operator should ever feel self-conscious, or beyond hope, about vehicle fuel consumption when compared to this heavily-fortified piece of livery. Details are emerging about GM's new Cadillac limousine for the President. The stretch is about as un-green as possible, although its occupant will be relatively green given his minimal political experience. So although President Obama won't be riding in a green vehicle, he will no doubt reaffirm his green credentials by groping for more green from taxpayer wallets. -- M.R.
STILL GREEN: The "green" movement is not going away, even as the recession deepens and gasoline prices continue dropping. Corporate accounts are pushing less for hybrids and alternative-fuel vehicles, but it's not going away. In fact, the green movement is expected to be an expanding part of the U.S. economy that will add jobs, technology, and innovative services while other industries slide downward. This will come through greening up buildings and houses, C02 reduction programs, recycling programs, and more green vehicle options. General Motors is basing much of its future on hybrids (especially Chevrolet Volt) and other alt-fuel models, and this is the case with other major manufacturers. In this industry, operators continue to launch green programs, comply with corporate client requests, and learn more about how it all works. Take a look at the
Hybrid Limo Express website. This operator went into business in 2007 and was ready to be there for the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission's black car MPG mandate in early 2008. Hybrid Limo Express has established itself as NYC’s largest fleet of hybrid vehicles (200), comprised of hybrid Lexus RX400s, Toyota Camrys, and Toyota Highlanders, according to the company. And there are other operators continuing to do quite well during the economic downturn. It's a valuable market niche that faces economic challenges like everything else, but will be alive and well going forward.
- Jon LeSage
REDUCTION MUCH BETTER: There's a
good article in an online magazine called Environmental Leader. Becoming "carbon neutral" has been taken on by many companies as their way of not adding to the global CO2 emissions crisis. The problem is: how do CO2 emissions get reduced, not stay at their negative level, which increases every year? As the writer George Ahn says: "Carbon neutrality has become the rallying cry for the industry, and while companies are doing a great job of patting themselves on the back for offsetting carbon emissions and planting trees, let’s not forget the fundamental issue here: we continue to deplete our natural resources and increase carbon emissions and it’s astounding how little is really being done to fix that."
TEMPLATE FOR FUTURE COMPANIES? London-based
EcoChauffeur was profiled recently in the
Times of London. While the concept of green remains relatively undefined and highly subjective, companies like this one are making attempts to transform and adapt. But the question the chauffeured transportation industry eventually must define and answer with clarity is: When is an operator green enough? What is the future gold standard? What level of carbon emissions is the right balance? There is a perpetual aura of insatiability among environmentalists, with their doomsday warnings and strict demands. Businesses in all industries should be aware of that and take care they don't become enslaved to ever-shifting ground rules and goal posts. -- M.R.
UNDERWHELMING: Check out the launch of a global reservation system for hybrid limousines. Electricar.com may be a great concept with great execution. . .but there is a problem. These fleet vehicles ARE NOT limousines, nor are they luxury sedans like the DTS or the Town Car. Yes, the Lexus 600h almost qualifies, but take a peek in the battery-stuffed trunk and see how many checked bags and carry-ons actually fit. Lost in the spectacle of ga-ga greenery is the emphasis on ROOM. And it goes without saying that the Prius and Camry entries are just laughable. Let's just sell those little hybridette buggers off to Avis and be done with them. If anyone ever shows up to pick you up in a Prius or Camry, then hail a cab.
So here's a proposal: This industry should start taking "hybrid limousines" seriously once the technology can actually SUPPORT a limousine or luxury vehicle. If operators compromise on comfort and amenities in the name of going green, then don't be surprised if the industry loses its luxury reputation. The bargain here is that the limousine and chauffeured transportation industry should only spend time and money going green if it can maintain fleets of big Lincolns, Cadillacs, Hummers, etc. In fact, instead of letting the green gremlins constantly rate us with "carbon credits," let us rate vehicles among the automakers based on "limo credits," or economic and consumer viability. It could be the industry version of Consumer Reports, or a livery version of Zagat.
We may be entering a political era of schmaltzy "shared sacrifice," but we don't have to extend such collectivist crockery to luxury vehicles. -- M.R.
Two previous chairpersons of the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission are supporting the federal lawsuit filed by the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade challenging the 25 MPG rule that is due to start up Oct. 31, 2008. Howard Harrison sent out this response in Limo Talk National Newswire from current chair Matthew Daus and the original press release announcing opposition to the TLC's mandate.
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One thing that stood out while attending Green Fleet Conference last week: if going green, learn more about ISO. Fleet managers and corporate execs are looking at International Organization for Standardization (ISO) policies, such as ISO 14001, and many are adopting them to build total organization green programs. This is part of the process that Green Ride Global makes available to clients. Several operators have mentioned adapting to ISO compliant practices, including Royal Coachman Worldwide. ISO says that its program helps companies reduce energy consumption and improve their image among regulators, customers, and the public. (See www.iso.org for more information.) --J.L.
What are the most popular green car models these days? Knowing this might help you make fleet decisions and promote green choices to your customers...
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There's a lot coming up very soon: LCT East at the Mohegan Sun, and then right after that, I'll be flying over to Chicago to attend the first-ever
Green Fleet Conference. I'm looking forward to learning more about the fuel and vehicle options that affect operators and will be covering it online and in LCT Magazine. Green Fleet is being put on by Automotive Fleet, a sister publication here at Bobit Business Media. It will mostly be made up of corporate and government fleet managers and auto manufacturers and suppliers promoting their green programs. This should be good - I used to cover that industry and know that fleet managers have been bringing alternative-fuel vehicles into their fleets since the early 1990s and have a lot of experience with every thing you can think about: CNG and LNG, propane, hybrids, hybrid electric, hydrogen fuel cell, ethanol, and in the '90s - methanol. I can't wait - maybe I'll see you there.
-- Jon LeSage
LUXURY LIMO BUS: A Canadian operator adds an
emissions-conscious party bus to his fleet. This one operates with a special filter. It is built by
Crestline Coach. The article doesn't say how this technology works, the amount of emissions reduced, nor if the bus saves on fuel. But bookings are up, so now matter how green, the image sure sells.
Every new car sold by model year 2020 will have some type of hybrid technology, according to
a study by the IBM Institute for Business Value. Gas-electric vehicles will be expanding in new product launches soon - 89 different models are expected to be on the market by 2013. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are expected to only be a small fraction of the market by 2020, according to the 125 auto industry executives interviewed by IBM for the study. The hydrogen infrastructure isn't expected to be in place anytime soon.
BUYER BEWARE: Before you buy any green vehicles, make sure it's for the right reasons: Getting more clients, saving on energy costs, and making more money.
Scientific debate is growing about whether the Earth is actually warming or on the brink of a cooling trend. One New Jersey legislator is trying to slow down the
global warming locomotive in that state.
It's all the more reason for chauffeured transportation operators to insist on boosting their profit emissions, while not worrying too much about the carbon ones. Let the scientists keep
digging for the facts before radically changing how industries, services, and economies operate.
If the Earth is actually cooling to the extent some scientists claim, then we may just need more fossil-fueled limousines with fireplaces. -- M.R.
GET A CLUE: Every time you fill up a flex-fuel vehicle with corn-based ethanol, you not only hurt consumers, but you support a concerted, gutless, bi-partisan effort to kow-tow to the ethanol industry.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry recently made a
bold statement against corn-based ethanol in Tuesday's pages of the Wall Street Journal.
Our President, a majority of Congress, and the EPA fail to follow the facts on this issue. That's why it is critical for consumers and businesses to turn up the heat on the corn-based ethanol industry.
Shame on any chauffeured transportation operators who fill up their vehicles with corn-based ethanol. We suggest you take your flex-fuel vehicles and trade them in for hybrids or some other alternative-fueled transportation.
Transportation companies that consume ethanol are kicking the American economy and consumer while their down.
Corporations and chauffeured clients should remember this when choosing an operator to do business with. -- M.R.
IN ITS TIRES. . . As part of its recent greening efforts, EmpireCLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services, the third-largest chauffeured transporation company, is using nitrogen to inflate its fleet tires and save on fuel costs and carbon emissions.
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LCT Managing Editor Jon LeSage is looking forward to attending
Green Fleet Conference 2008, which is happening right after LCT East: Sept. 15-16 at Hyatt Regency Chicago. Participants will include corporate and government fleet managers, auto manufacturer fleet sales and marketing teams, and green vehicle associations. Topics include saving money in operating costs, ways to make your facility eco-friendly, and a preview of upcoming green fleet vehicles. This first-ever event is being sponsored by partner publications at Bobit Business Media including Automotive Fleet. The conference presents a great opportunity for LCT to become more knowledgeable about the products, market trends, regulations, and fleet management issues that our readers very much care about. Visit the website to learn more and get info on registering and attending the event, if interested. You can also let Jon know about the fact that you'll be there by emailing him at jon@lctmag.com.
HYDROGEN! Let's hope this highway and many more get built. Today kicks off the Hydrogen Road Tour, featuring a coast-to-coast convoy of hydrogen vehicles from several different automakers.
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Ford's Limousine & Livery Manager Doug Walczak is sending out a letter to the industry on the "black car" MPG rules in New York City, and a method for changing over Town Cars and not having to only purchase hybrids. His detailed letter is presented here and is valuable for operators to read.
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ENVIRONMENTAL HALITOSIS: Al Gore's radical rhetoric has reached the point that not even a jug of peppermint Scope can cool it off.
In response to some of his recent tirades, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) has responded with a
voice of reason to Gore's unreasonable positions.
As the chauffeured transportation industry and limousine manufacturers weigh green alternatives, they must seek out and support those moderate, economically viable approaches to developing diverse energy resources while cleaning the air and improving gas mileage.
Gore is no friend of this industry, nor much of the energy industry for that matter. With all that hot air and brimstone, we must keep him away from the limousines -- and the forests. -- M.R.
ETHANOL EXTREMISTS: One of the few things that truly infuriates us here at LCT is what we call the Grand Ethanol Scam of the 21st Century. So we hold our noses and link to
this press release to show the abundant misinformation that still exists on ethanol. We've already debunked many of these points in previous posts (just click on the Going Green category). But it cannot be said enough how the American taxpayers, the agricultural industry, and automakers have been duped into spending money and wasting energy on a dead-end alternative.
Ethanol DOES NOT reduce carbon emissions when its production is factored into the equation. Saved mileage is miniscule. Ethanol subsidies distort the agricultural free markets. Corn-growing for ethanol robs and depletes vital croplands. And lest we forget, ethanol takes food out of people's mouths, causing them to pay higher prices, and in Third World countries, also go hungry. This industry needs to be snuffed in its cradle. Its lobbyists and advocates -- shameless tapeworms -- have leeched onto consumers and taxpayers, and bilked us to the hilt. Neither political party, nor the President, has the guts to confront these 21st Century bootleggers and eco-quacks. Thankfully, a growing number of leaders in the limousine and chauffeured transportation do.
This energy extremism must stop. Don't buy ethanol or flex-fuel vehicles. They deserve to be relegated to demolition derbys and then junked forever. -- M.R.
OH, PLEASE: Sex In The City starlet Sarah Jessica Parker demonstrates the
correct Hollywood eco-pose of late: Getting into a chauffeured Toyota Prius.
Why bother? Why not just drive it yourself? If a celebrity wants pampered luxury for shopping sprees, then just take a chauffeured hybrid SUV or a good old-fashioned limousine.
The Prius certainly can't be all that comfortable, what with all those shopping bags. But then being driven around in a Prius might assuage the guilt of an actress being, well, chauffeured for an utterly superfluous shopping spree.
We suggest Sarah follow the lead of one actor who actually does get it:
Larry Hagman, aka Texas oilman J.R. Ewing of Dallas fame.
He actually OWNS five Priuses, sometimes drives an electric car, and has his Ojai, Ca. estate powered by a solar farm. Hagman lives the green lifestyle; he's no eco-poseur, that J.R.
We're not opposed to celebrities in Priuses; they just need to make sure they talk and walk the green scene. -- M.R.
PROS AND CONS: The Catch-22 with adding green vehicles is that they cost more, require more specific maintenance, and can be luxury-challenged. However, as more client firms insist on contracting with chauffeured transportation companies that have green credentials, it may be the ONLY way to get business whether the vehicles truly help the environment or not. And whether green vehicles pay for themselves over time through energy savings becomes irrelevant. That's the reality of green correctness. Here's an example of how
GOING GREEN PAYS.
GREEN WEDDINGS: Operators getting into the green scene might want to see a new web-based publication called
Carbon Offsets Daily which has a slogan: "For business leaders to keep current with a fast-moving marketplace." Today there's a link to a New York Times story about a Cambridge, Mass-based travel company called Elevate Destinations that offers eco-friendly honeymoons. It's amazing how much this green trend is spreading out so quickly.
HALLOWED BE THY HYBRID? That's been the green mantra about hybrid cars, but yet
another study at least questions whether most hybrid vehicles can save owners money. Chauffeured transportation operators need to proceed cautiously and focus on these key questions: Does a hybrid vehicle purchase make financial sense? What's the point if maintenance costs outweigh or cancel out the fuel cost savings? Is the public relations payoff and good-green housekeeping seal of approval enough to make fleet hybrids worthwhile? That's obviously an individual decision for each operator based on economics and customer demand. Putting up with costly hybrids may be worth getting those corporate contracts that insist on green products and practices -- whether the green stuff really helps or not. -- M.R.
"Carbon footprint" is a phrase you hear people say all the time, and read in green fleet stories. Is it a good one? Does it make sense? As the New York Times says, "In some ways carbon footprint is not an especially good metaphor."
Read on for more on the subject.
BRITISH FLAIR: The Jaguar XJ Diesel once again ranks as the
greenest luxury vehicle in the United Kingdom. For a review of the Jaguar XJ Diesel,
click here.
Aside from a few
stretch limousines, Jaguar has yet to make many inroads into the U.S. livery and limousine industry.
The latest reports from the U.K. show a gallon of diesel costs about $9 a gallon. What takes the edge off that price, however, is the fact that diesel gets better mileage than gasoline.
As Americans fume about $4-$5 a gallon, the greening effect of pure black diesel looks increasingly like a viable alternative. Compared to the diesel vehicle wave of the late 1970s, current diesel engine models run quieter, burn cleaner, and accelerate without hesitation.
And while $5 a gallon gas seems unthinkable, Europeans survive -- and profit -- with much more expensive gas and diesel. -- M.R.
BRIGHT LIMO FUTURE? Limousine operators with growing revenue usually go to industry shows to look for minibuses, vans, coaches, SUVs, sedans, hybrids, and alternative-fuel vehicles, but not so much for stretch limousines these days. Teenagers going to proms and other kids out for concerts and nights on the town are not too concerned about getting a green car or a corporate bus. They'll take a party bus, or a super stretch, or a traditional limo as long as it's packed with blasting audio and bright shining video. So maybe stretch limos aren't going to go away for good. As Ed Kahakauwila, president of LA Limousines in Victoria, British Columbia
just told a newspaper reporter, "It's still the splurge for kids. Green just doesn't register."
GCLA AGENDA: A lot of ground was covered and many issues highlighted at the monthly Greater California Livery Association meeting last night near LAX, but as is often the case at such events, the cocktail conversation proves more insightful and delicious. We will get to the serious stuff a bit later so we can troll through the Hollywood goodies gutter first.
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STRAIGHT TALK: The more we hear and see of greening efforts, the more we must conclude that this industry definitely does not suffer from Prius envy. The CEO of Royale Manufacturers offers a much-needed antidote to the Prius bubble. This is a welcome follow-on to Dav El CEO Scott Solombrino's recent branding of carbon credits as a "flim-flam." Operators need to get mean about green, and not accept every fad that comes along. -- M.R.
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GREEN SCENE: Some "luxury limousine" companies doing business in New York City are going green, although they don't have to.
New York-based Town Car International is one of those companies, said Russ Cooke, CEO. Along with office greening, the company is implementing New York City Taxi & Limousines Commission guidelines. Although it doesn’t belong to the “black car” category; it is alternative-fuel vehicles including natural gas vehicles, hybrids, and bio-fueled vehicles; suggesting shared rides to clients when appropriate; and, using directional and tracking GPS units in all vehicles to improve usage and travel time, Cooke said.
Avoiding the mandatory purchase of fleet vehicles that get at least 25 mpg is a relief for "luxury limousine" operators. "Black car" operators are seeing the other side of the coin...
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FUTURE LIVERY PREFERENCE? Consumers are showing more interest in Cross Over Utility vehicles, such as the Mercury Mariner Hybrid, than in larger SUVs, according to a
survey by NADAguides.com. What does this mean for chauffeured transportation? If consumer preferences translate into a demand for comfortable CUV livery vehicles, then that means chauffeured transportation companies can buy slightly cheaper vehicles with better mileage. The big question is whether CUV livery vehicles would be perceived by clients as luxurious.
GREENER CARS & POCKETBOOKS: We at LCT must admit to getting a bit dreamy sometimes about a green world: plenty of trees and grass, lots of greenbacks stuffed into our wallets and bank accounts, and big, comfortable limousines devoid of any energy connections to the
Royal House of Saud.
So amid per gallon gas prices headed beyond $4, and $130-plus per barrel oil, the limousine and chauffeured transportation industry needs to keep track of ongoing technological progress on the alternative fuels front.
The higher costs of fossil fuels and accompanying rational cost-benefit calculations soon will outweigh any global warming fears as the impetus to greener livery vehicles. So herewith is
an installment about clean diesel as part of the ongoing story of the world's energy transformation. -- M.R.
HYBRID HOT AIR? A study claims the per mile energy costs of most hybrids exceed those of perennial stapes of the chauffeured transportation industry, such as the Town Car, Escalade, and Navigator.
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KNEE DEEP IN THE HOOPLA: Hybrids get a lot of attention as crucial alternatives to fossil-fueled vehicles, but the savings may not be as strong as first thought.
This article shows mixed results in Toronto. While every bit of fuel savings helps an operator's bottom line, does it justify the additional costs and limited maintenance options for hybrid vehicles? Of course, the "image" of being green may lure "eco-minded" clients, but at what point do they see through it all? Are hybrids all about saving fuel and the planet, or just about feeling good about the INTENT to save fuel and the planet? More B.S. detectors needed here.
HOPEFULLY, IT WILL WORK: The more gas prices horrify consumers, the more desirable
innovative eco-solutions appear. Cleaner diesel has succeeded in Europe. While biofuels are a non-starter and losing proposition, the
Earth Bus concept could be a welcome option -- provided it retains all the comforts and conveniences of conventional limo-buses.
GOOD GREENS: In Part II of our propane series, American Alternative Fuel LLC answers key questions about the benefits and application of this alternative fuel. Overall, it is among the leading clean, efficient, U.S.-supplied fuels available, and worth consideration by the chauffeured transportation industry. The main concern is the cost of conversion and availability of propane pumps. Chauffeured vehicles travel widely and often and need convenient, accessible fuel.
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PROPANE IS SANE: The trend toward greener vehicles likely will grow, but the bar for admission will rise as well. Not every vehicle billed as green should be pursued as an option. For example, ethanol vehicles are a flop, and for multiple reasons already cited on this blog, likely will fail in the future. But one category worth a serious look is propane. Following is a basic primer on propane vehicles and their potential for future use in chauffeured transportation. More tomorrow.
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SUVs are gas guzzlers - popular with chauffeured transportation clients, but they're only willing to pay so much in fuel surcharges. So, the release of the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid is getting a lot of attention from operators. Here's a
product review that might be worth your attention.
FUELING THE FACTS: Increased carbon emissions. Wasted taxpayer dollars. Soaring food prices. Hungry, angry consumers.
Congratulations to America’s energy white elephant and eco-myth. This will be the ethanol industry’s deplorable legacy that has cost millions of dollars and helped breed global misery. A recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal simply states the facts.
Any reasonable observer must conclude that ethanol vehicles, and most biofuel vehicles for that matter, are a never-ending boondoggle.
For the limousine and chauffeured transportation industry, the bottom line is simple: Don’t buy E-85 or biofuel vehicles; get rid of the ones in service; and boycott ethanol. There is nothing remotely “green” about it.
It’s time to admit a colossal mistake and put a stake into this subsidized impostor of an industry.
-- posted by Martin Romjue
Edmunds.com has released a new study that highlights
which hybrid vehicles will end up saving consumers money in the long run...
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DIESEL GETTING MUCH BETTER: Americans used to hate diesel engines, especially back in the 1970s -- they were too loud and fume spraying to be nearly as well loved as they have become in Europe. This will all change dramatically by Dec. 1, 2010, when the EPA requires all diesel fuel sold in the U.S. to meet its Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel requirements. For operators building up their diesel vehicles, especially through buses, this new rule offers relief and something to sell to clients. Visit the
Clean Diesel Fuel Alliance website for more information.
Allaire Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation, based in Farmingdale, N.J., and led by president Mike Renehan, is providing a good example to the industry. The company is adding more hybrids to its fleet and using this new logo to get the word out to clients and the community. This lively image should make Allaire stand out more in people's minds, especially those concerned about "green" transportation options, which is definitely a growing trend.
RED, WHITE, BLUE & GREEN: Pictured is the most popular
chauffeured vehicle in the United Kingdom.
There are many reasons why, but the most encouraging sign is that no luxury, no amenity, and no creature comfort has been sacrificed in this green vehicle.
If
Toyota can do it, why not everyone else? We're curious if the technology and economics would support a stretch version some day.
Even cutting fuel costs by a third could be the key to survival for many smaller operators.
According to Business Travel News, "
Two major chauffeured transportation companies are reducing or eliminating fuel surcharges on hybrid vehicles as an incentive to travelers." Click here to read the article.
BEWARE OF BIOFUELS: As food prices soar, a global backlash is growing against biofuels. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is the latest high-profile government official to concede that using vaster amounts of croplands for ethanol contributes to
escalating food prices. One U.N. official recently called biofuels a "
crime against humanity." The biofuel industry cannot sustain itself on the free energy market with normal supply and demand ratios. That's why the industry requires constant subsidies and incentives from governments and taxpayers. Third World countries, which deal with food inflation and shortages unthinkable in the U.S., suffer the most from the diversion of agricultural production to ethanol and biofuels.
EATING PAINS: Chauffeured transportation operators should take a long, critical look at biofuel vehicles. More sensible options, such has hybrid, propane, natural gas, and fuel cell engines, are in aggressive development. Remember, your average American struggling with high-food costs now pays far more for such basic staples as cereal and milk. Unfortunately, hysteria over global warming has prompted the political zealotry behind biofuel that constricts food supplies and drives up prices. Food banks in the U.S. are being inundated with people unable to cope with rising food bills. Since so many crops are now being used for fuels that really don't reduce carbon emissions when you factor in the energy needed to produce them in the first place, maybe biofuel advocates can try some ethanol on a bowl of cereal or some switchgrass on a morning muffin. That certainly would be comparable to the unpleasant tastes and choices forced upon many consumers worldwide.
SOLUTION: Chauffeured transportation companies and their clients should boycott biofuel vehicles and insist on either fossil-fueled cars or hybrids until more usable fuel-cell, propane, electric, and natural gas vehicles are developed and adapted for mass transportation uses.
ASK YOURSELF: Is a hungry child worth an elitist, ill-informed, preening eco-statement?
-- posted by Martin Romjue
Whenever we ask operators about using alternative fuel vehicles in their fleets, they inevitably complain about the lack of fuel stations in their area and how to find them. Hybrids are different since they're powered by gasoline engines, but all the rest are tricky - ethanol, biodiesel, natural gas, propane, and hydrogen. (If you're in Iowa or nearby states, you're probably near fuel stations offering ethanol, which is a plus). The U.S. Dept. of Energy offers a helpful site for finding alternative fuel stations across the country. You can search by fuel type, city/state, and zip code.
Click here to check it out.
EARTH DAY TIP: Navistar International Corp., a maker of trucks, engines, and commercial vehicle parts, offers some examples of how commercial vehicles can go green -- and clears up some misconceptions. Overall,
this Q&A can help the chauffeured transportation industry realize that it is only one piece of the transportation pie, and there is a greater green burden on trucks, public buses, school buses, and other sectors. This is an important point to remember as the chauffeured vehicle segment faces zealous pressure from Yo-Go-Green politicians such New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Singling out limousines and black vehicles as carbon culprits is a cheapshot. Getting multiple people into chauffeured vehicles -- whether fossil fueled or hybrid -- is one of the greenest and safest transportation alternatives available. And it's easy to do -- now.
BRIGHT BULBS: Rental car companies have emerged as potentially strong competitors to the chauffeured car industry. Today's announcement by Enterprise shows how the industry can quickly adapt and innovate through its economies of scale. Enterprise's green,
energy-saving idea makes sense. Is this something that could be copied or applied by chauffeured transportation companies?
FACTS OF GREEN: Global warming has ascended as the big bogeyman of the 21st Century. The specter of it generates much anguish and soul-searching among governments and industries. Two articles out today, however, help crystallize some of the most relevant issues and questions for the chauffeured transportation industry.
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Y. Fray, the owner of ECO-LIMO in Santa Monica, Ca., has responded to a New York Times analysis posted this week about a backlash against ethanol fuel production. Her posting is an excellent primer on the different types of alternative fuels and how each reduces carbon emissions. For operators considering alternative fuel vehicles and needing some hard facts, please read below.
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See the NLA consumer website, which is called NLAride.com, for prom and wedding tips that you can pass along to your customers verbally and/or in your print or online client communications. Two sets of prom tips – one for teens, one for parents – are posted. In addition to recommendations for choosing service providers, it offers a search engine for identifying limousine operators – NLA members only – around the world.
The NLA is organizing a a communications program to support operator "green" programs. The goals are to broadcast what the industry is doing to be environmentally responsible, and help livery companies and suppliers find ways to proactively "green" their organizations. The NLA started by surveying members on their environmental practices, and received many replies. The NLA is taking this data and questions asked by members to inform members and the public about NLA's goals on this important issue.
BIO-FUELS COULD BE BAD FOR INDUSTRY: With the push toward alternative fuel-vehicles, the limousine and chauffeured transportation industry must weigh its options carefully. Studies have shown that ethanol-fueled (E-85) vehicles may not necessarily contribute to a greener climate since the energy used to produce and process ethanol cancels out any reduction in fossil fuel usage and emissions. A
recent analysis in the New York Times reports a growing global backlash against the ethanol industry because it gobbles up croplands for ethanol production that otherwise would produce corn, wheat, and other food commodity staples. That, in turn, squeezes food supplies and aggravates food inflation. Before investing in E-85 vehicles, chauffeured transportation operators must ask some tough questons:
1) Do enthanol vehicles actually reduce carbon emissions? 2) Are enthanol-fueled vehicles the most economical route to fuel cost savings and reduction of pollutants? 3) Does the chauffeured transportation industry want to risk a negative image of contributing to high food inflation and possible food shortages by promoting the use of ethanol-fueled vehicles?
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-- posted by Martin Romjue
BIG GREEN BUSES: One of the greenest things a motorist can do is to take advantage of limousine, chauffeured car, and motorcoach services. The more people who can comfortably pool a chauffeured ride, the less cars on the road and less money spent on gas. This
Web site entry makes a strong argument for using motorcoaches, which are becoming more varied and elaborate with increased amenities. While still a small segment of chauffeured transportation, buses of all sizes bring tremendous growth potential to this industry. -- posted by Martin Romjue
EURO-HINT: A United Kingdom livery trade magazine, The Chauffeur, recently picked its best chauffeured car of the year. It's not an American nor European brand. The maker doesn't build stretch models, either. With the use of the Audi A-8 at the World Economic Forum, and with this latest selection, do we see another European trend making its way across the Pond? American operators, take note. This option could save you money. Seat massages are a bonus, too. Read about the
British livery verdict.
HAVING HYBRIDS: Cars.com recently ranked American cities based on how many people search online for hybrid new cars. This could provide some insights to operators who are considering green fleet additions, since areas heavy on green cars also might produce more clients intent on renting green chauffeured vehicles.
Study and rankings.
SENSIBLY GREEN: The elites who gather each year at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland will be chauffeured in a car that hopefully will gather market share in America. It's efficient, classy, comfortable, and a bit less "carbony." Check it out
here.
Before the limousine and chauffeured transportation industry starts spending money en masse on hybrids and ethanol-fueled vehicles, the industry may want to take the long view: What type of vehicle will ultimately be most effective in eliminating the need for fossil fuels, reduce air pollution, and make your company's coffers and surrounding environment greener? A study this week offers insights and encourages prudence. -- posted by Martin Romjue
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The New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission will be voting on whether "black cars" are added to the 25 mpg requirement, and may discuss what happens to other categories such as "luxury limousines."
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Here's a press release on what Ford will be doing to advance plug-in hybrid electric vehicles...
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Here are some of the memorable moments from today, Day One of the International LCT Show at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas:
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Mayor Bloomberg’s speech last week on “green” regulations being implemented in New York City has intensely caught the attention of the chauffeured transportation industry. It’s not clear to the major companies whether they have to comply with these new rules and when that will happen. As for now, this is what we’re hearing about the proposed rules:
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