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NELA Secretary Andrew Tighe (left) of Tristar Worldwide and Miami show pass winner Sonny To from 128 Coach Lynnfield, Mass. — The New England Livery Association (NELA) had its most recent quarterly meeting September 9, hosting more than 50 attendees at first-time meeting locale Spinelli’s.
The evening’s educational component included a presentation from Agentis Safety Development CEO Brandon Dufour, who focused on the dangers of distracted driving. Other speakers included Scott Duffy of Don Brown Bus Sales, which was the dinner sponsor, and Brett Barenholtz of Boston Car Service. Chauffeur Driven provided a pass to next month’s Miami show, which was won by longtime NELA member Sonny To of 128 Coach.
With a handful of members preparing to attend a TNC hearing in Boston the following week, NELA Executive Director Rick Szilagyi said that this latest battle in the association’s ongoing fight against TNCs was a much-discussed topic at the meeting.
The hearing turned out to be an all-day affair, at which NELA had significant representation: Szilagyi, Scott Solombrino of BostonCoach/Dav El, NELA 1st Vice President Dave Lathbury of Black Tie Limousine, and Mike Fogarty of Tristar Worldwide were among those speaking on behalf of both the association and the industry.
Szilagyi said that the September 15 hearing saw a few regulatory wins, as Boston Police Commissioner William Evans voiced his support for TNC drivers being subject to fingerprint background checks; by the end of the day, it looked as though biometric background checks have potential to become a requirement that TNCs will no longer be able to sidestep. TNC insurance is also a high priority for the association, as on-again/off-again coverage does not provide adequate coverage for either the riding public or transportation providers.
The next NELA quarterly meeting will be its holiday party, scheduled for December 8.
Visit nelivery.org for more information.
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Xtreme Transportation provided its bus as the display vehicle for the KLA’s Kentucky State Fair booth
Louisville, Ky. — The Kentucky Limousine Association (KLA) had another successful year of exhibiting at the 2015 Kentucky State Fair from August 20-30. Association members representing Ambassador Capital Limousine, JACO Limousine and Transportation, Lake Cumberland Limousine, Limos By Knight, Louisville Trolley, R & R Limousine, Skaggs Limousine, and Xtreme Transportation were on hand to staff the association’s booth throughout the 10-day fair.
With a 16 percent increase in attendance from last year’s event, the KLA had ample opportunity to connect with scores of the 601,672 fair-goers traversing the event’s grounds. Increasing public awareness about the differences between TNCs and licensed ground transportation companies was a key goal for this year, and members spoke to those visiting KLA’s booth about their efforts to ensure the riding public’s safety. Two local police officers also took the time to impress upon the public that state licensed and approved companies are a safer transportation option than nonregulated TNCs.
KLA member Val Newton of Regal Limousine gets some help manning the KLA booth from his daughters Chloe (left) and Emma
This year’s display vehicle was a bus supplied by Xtreme Transportation, and the KLA’s booth also featured daily giveaways of gift certificates offering limousine rental discounts. The grand prize, which the KLA raffled off at the end of the fair, was a free four-hour stretch limousine rental provided by the association member whose operation is geographically closest to the prize winner.
In other association news, Xtreme Transportation—owned by KLA’s Treasurer Jenny Summit—has acquired a company located in Bedford, Ind., and has also purchased additional storage space in the Louisville area.
The next KLA meeting will be October 13.
Visit kylimo.org for more information.
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Marlton, N.J. — Mark your calendars for May 1-3, 2016, and get ready to join Chauffeur Driven in New Orleans for our second Executive Retreat!
You’ll find the same energy, immersion in the city’s unique local flavor, and high-level education that made our Nashville retreat such a resounding success—and we’ll make getting to know the Big Easy a breeze. With a personality all its own, we’re already planning local tours and French Quarter fun that will get you intimately acquainted with this one-of-a-kind city. As a bonus, CD’s room block opens on April 30, so you can enjoy the tail-end of the legendary Jazz Fest before our retreat officially begins.
“We took our inspiration and a page from the TLPA playbook,” CD Publisher Chris Weiss said. “A few years ago, they held their Spring Conference & Expo at the end of Jazz Fest, which was incredible. We thought that our retreat’s attendees would love to have a similar experience.”
After tallying the results from our post-Nashville survey, the industry staggeringly agreed that it’s ready for a few days in NOLA. Already a natural choice for our next retreat’s locale, New Orleans recently ran away with the No. 12 spot on Cvent’s 2015 Top 50 Cities for Meetings and Events in the United States, which you can view at bit.ly/1h3O6T1. While perusing the list, you might also notice that Nashville was ranked at No. 9 and our next two CD Show host cities—Miami and Washington, D.C.—occupy the No. 9 and No. 6 spots, respectively. And while Atlantic City was conspicuously absent from the rankings, Orlando, the home of our 2017 show, topped the list at No. 1.
We’ll be bringing 200 industry operators to New Orleans at the awesome rate of $199/night at the JW Marriott, which will put you right in the heart of the city with its Canal Street locale. You’ll find all of the highlights from our Nashville retreat reimagined with a New Orleans flair: nonstop networking in an intimate industry gathering, getting an eagle-eye view of your company through world-class educational sessions, and, of course, plenty of opportunities to enjoy the nightlife and local flare that are unique to this hotspot of a destination—plus a few new twists to ensure that our retreats will always offer you the best return on your investment.
“The retreat was nonstop fun and networking opportunities—what an event! Great idea for moving it around, and I look forward to attending next year’s retreat (New Orleans, watch out). Consider my tickets booked!” said Ed Kahakauwila of L.A. Limousines & Transportation Services in Victoria, British Columbia.
“The entire retreat was terrific,” added George Jacobs of Windy City Limousine in Chicago, Ill. “I didn’t feel the need to be “on duty” all the time like at the big shows. Sign me up for Nawlins!”
Whether you couldn’t make it to our inaugural retreat or you were among those who made it an instant success, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to join us in New Orleans. Check for updates at chauffeurdrivenshow.com so you can secure your place at an event that’s sure to fill up fast. And if that’s not enough, check out the photo gallery from our inaugural retreat by clicking here to see the highlights from Nashville.
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