- Details
- Category: Industry News
After months of discussions and negotiations between Chauffeur Driven (CD) and Bobit Business Media (BBM), CD is excited to announce that it has acquired its longtime competitor LCT, a revered publication and trade show for the better part of four decades.
BBM President Sherb Brown initially approached CD President/Publisher Chris Weiss and CEO Eric Alpert in mid-March about the company’s desire to shift away from luxury ground transportation. Beyond LCT, the media conglomerate currently produces more than two dozen publications and events for various industries including transportation, fleet, and public safety.
“Sherb Brown reached out to Eric and me with the news that they were strongly considering getting out of this space, and out of respect wanted to come to us first about acquiring the LCT brand,” says Weiss. “I was a little surprised, but extremely honored and humbled at this chance to acquire such a formidable competitor of nearly three decades—a brand that many still have a tremendous amount of respect for. Everyone saw this as an opportunity to consolidate the industry with fewer events and to unify our voice.”
The LCT acquisition comes on the heels of a monumental year for CD, which—prior to COVID-19 impacting every business—included a brand-new partnership with the National Limousine Association (formerly managed by BBM), a strong show in Boston in October, and a record-breaking debut show with the NLA in Las Vegas this past February, besting all expectations on every front.
Moving forward, the acquisition will ultimately benefit operators and vendors who have grown frustrated by numerous events. CD will resume two annual trade shows in partnership with the NLA in the spring (Vegas) and fall (typically based on the East Coast) as well as the magazine’s annual Executive Retreat. CD pivoted with the pandemic by prioritizing the delivery of critical news immediately through social media, a weekly newsletter, and the website over producing a monthly publication, although a digital-only version of the magazine will resume with the July 2020 issue.
“We are all going through unprecedented times, and this industry has been impacted as hard any, but we are encouraged by what we’re seeing as business starts to inch back. Chauffeured transportation, corporate travel, and meetings and events will return—the public demand is still there,” says Weiss. “This industry has been our home for decades, and we’re going to fiercely fight alongside you as we find our way through this recovery so we all can come back even stronger, wiser, and more resilient.”
Limousine & Chauffeur, founded in 1983, was a ground-breaking publication at a time when the industry was all about excess and builders were pushing the limits on vehicles. In an effort to unify a network of disjointed mom-and-pop shops across the country, L&C held its inaugural show in Atlantic City, eventually settling into its home at rotating properties in Las Vegas each spring. As the industry changed, so did the publication and its shows, adopting various forms of its LCT moniker since 1997 and completely removing “Limousine” from its name in 2018 when buses outnumbered most traditional fleet offerings.
On the opposite coast, Weiss and Alpert started publishing—and also producing events—for the industry in 1991. Seeing the new direction of luxury ground transportation, Weiss and Alpert launched CD in 2012 with a focus on the changing landscape that now included buses and motorcoaches. Overall, the core CD team has more than 130 years of combined experience being a resource and advocate for the industry.
“When we first started in the '90s, Limousine & Chauffeur (now LCT) was like the industry bible; it was what we emulated,” says Weiss. “Same thing with the shows: There was plenty of room for everyone back then, so we looked to L&C as our inspiration and carved our own niche. I always hoped (it was always a goal) to one day work side by side with the NLA—and it came to realization after many years of perseverance. Acquiring LCT wasn’t even on my radar, because I honestly didn’t think it was imaginable. Here we are nearly 30 years later, and it is extremely gratifying to see this deal happen.”
Visit chauffeurdriven.com or CD’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for more information.
[06.15.20]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
On June 10, the Wisconsin Limousine Association held a monthly conference call to discuss issues encountered by Midwest operators in the face of COVID-19. Operators from throughout the region took part in the meeting, along with CD Editor Rob Smentek, and discussion was moderated by WLA Vice President Larry Epstein of Gallant Knight Limousine and Secretary/Treasurer Karen Lotts of A Knight Rider Limousine.
The reopening of the Midwestern states was the chief matter discussed on the call. Director Paula DeBiasi of Chicago Coach Works—who also serves as executive director for the Illinois Limousine & Bus Association—provided an update on what’s happening in her state. As Illinois begins to open, there has been confusion because of differing guidelines between the counties. Curfews that were in place due to protesting have been lifted in Chicago, but city offices remain closed. However, the long-awaited O’Hare Travel Plaza, located at the airport’s limousine lot, is ready to open, with full amenities including gas pumps, a convenience store, and electric car chargers. Although Minnesota was ground zero for the protests and unrest during the past several weeks, the Minnesota Chauffeured Transportation Association has reported no major issues, and the state is moving forward with the reopening that started in May. Operators in that state are seeing an uptick in retail and leisure bookings.
The installation of sneeze guards in vehicles was also debated on the call. While a few members have tried them out to give passengers peace of mind, the “slippery slope” of whether this constitutes vehicle modification, and any insurance issues because of their use, is concerning to some operators.
The next WLA call is scheduled for Wednesday, July 8.
Visit wisconsinlimo.org for more information.
[06.12.20]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Motor Coach Industries (MCI), a U.S. subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (NFI), one of the world’s largest independent global bus manufacturers, has launched several tools to help operators clean and disinfect their buses for a successful restart.
Over the past several weeks, MCI’s engineering and field support teams and colleagues from sister company NFI Parts have been meeting with suppliers, talking with customers, and serving on industry task force committees. As a result, these efforts have allowed MCI to establish best practices in cleaning, disinfecting, distancing, and other protection protocols to share with its customers.
Resources available on MCI’s website include:
NFI Parts Clean & Protect Product Guide
NFI Parts’ Clean and Protect Product Guide offers the most requested product for most MCI models with focus on next-level cleanliness and virus-transmission mitigation solutions. The guide (found online here) consolidates current MCI and NFI Parts options for safe and successful operations organizing them under these four pillars:
- Distancing: Products that enable the driver to isolate from passengers and passengers to isolate from one another, including high driver shields as well as partitions to protect drivers.
- Disinfecting: Products that kill viruses, bacteria, etc. on hard surfaces and in the air such as hard-to-find fogging systems for maximum disinfecting effectiveness.
- Air Quality: Products that reduce unwanted airborne particulates, viruses, and bacteria.
- On MCI coach models, the HVAC system circulates in fresh, outside air every 10 minutes.
- Air recirculated through an anti-microbial MERV 8 rated filter media removes respiratory droplets and kills pathogens.
- PPE: Products that are considered personal protective equipment such as face masks and hand sanitizer, along with dispensers are also available from NFI Parts.
“One of the things MCI has been doing in collaboration with NFI Parts is to help evaluate what is effective against COVID-19, what helps meet CDC guidance, what is available, is it financially and operationally viable, and will it inspire passengers to ride,” said MCI Vice President of Pre-Owned Coach, Product Planning and Marketing Brent Maitland. “The NFI Parts team has been working diligently to develop these solutions, advising operators, and quickly meeting their demands.”
Maitland points to the increased use of UV-C lights mounted in the HVAC compartment to help kill pathogens and driver barriers available through NFI Parts. “These can either be installed by the owner, at MCI Service Center locations, or on models as they come through the MCI production line,” he said. “Still, the most effective measures are found in CDC’s guidance. Handwashing, distancing, wearing a mask, and cleaning common touch barriers remain part of the guidance. Our goal is to have products and tools that support operators’ efforts.”
MCI’s Coach Disinfecting Protocol Checklist
Following coach-cleaning and maintenance procedures practiced at MCI Service Centers as well as guidelines from the CDC and Health Canada, MCI has created a comprehensive checklist (found here) for keeping motorcoaches clean and sanitized in most operating situations including short movements on lots, pre-trip preparations, and end-of-day maintenance.
“We’ve created this list in a template format so operators can edit it for their own use with specific practices required by their own maintenance and driving teams and as a training tool,” said MCI Director of Product Planning and Sales Engineering Brent Danielson. “The checklist also provides Clean-In/Clean-Out touchpoints that are now necessary as COVID-19 precautions continue.”
MCI’s Extreme Clean Commitment Toolkit
To help operators share their enhanced cleaning practices with customers, MCI has created the Extreme Clean Commitment Toolkit (found here) encompassing enhanced cleaning procedures, products, and equipment that will optimize passenger and driver protection. The toolkit is ready to use or can be customized.
MCI Webinar: Clean, Disinfect, Protect
For operators wanting additional guidance, MCI Academy—the company’s training division—has a video replay of its Clean, Disinfect, and Protect June 2 webinar, which reviews optimal cleaning practices and the latest advice for customers restarting their fleets. The video replay is now archived online via the MCI Academy’s Learn Management System (LMS) course code 19.111. If you don’t have an LMS account, email scott.crawford@mcicoach.com to register.
For more information about MCI, visit mcicoach.com.
[06.11.20]