- Details
- Category: Industry News
Tony Settembre and Kristi Fornges of Settembre LimousinePeekskill, N.Y. — Settembre Luxury Limousines, a mainstay in the chauffeured ground transportation industry in upstate New York for over 20 years, is honored to recognize its General Manager, Kristi Fornges, for winning the 2014 Strathmore Who's Who in Business Award.
Fornges has been working in the transportation industry since 2008. She started off as an Affiliate Coordinator and Event Planner with LEROS Point to Point in Hawthorne, N.Y. but in 2010, she moved into her current role with Settembre.
“It’s certainly a privilege to be recognized for this award,” says Fornges. “As a service industry, customer service is the number one priority. I strive to establish close relationships and follow-up with clients and affiliates. Problems do arise at times, but excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to think and act quickly when faced with a problem are necessary qualities to possess. As always, a sense of humor can go a long way too.”
“Kristi is a go-getter...a real winner for sure,” says Tony Settembre, owner of Settembre Luxury Limousines. “Her outstanding achievements and overall leadership abilities are worthy of this great recognition. We’re very lucky to have her on our team!”
Visit settembrelimo.com for more information.
6/14
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Raleigh, N.C.—The ugly head of Uber (and the other ridesharing apps) has reared itself in the Raleigh/Durham area as of late. As with the majority of other industry associations, North Carolina Limousine Association (NCLA) members are up arms in regard to Uber’s lack of compliance to long-standing regulations which allows undercutting of prices while using substandard and dangerous practices. And, like the other associations, the NCLA operators want the rogue apps out of their respective cities and towns.
Mark Mazza of HUB International offered his input, stating: “The answer is to crack down on the lack insurance coverage they carry. That is how several cities like Seattle and Miami had them removed from their areas.” Mazza intends on sending NCLA members more information on how other localities have limited ridesharing apps from doing business in their areas.
Rene Lawson of Northland Insurance gave an enlightening presentation on the dangers of distracted driving. The thrust of the presentation was that studies show that hand held devices are the most prevalent cause of driver distraction. The largest percent of accidents are a result of drivers being distracted by hand held devices. An accident is four times more likely to occur when the driver is engaging in usage of a hand-held device.
The best way for chauffeured ground transportation company managers and owners to combat this is to implement a policy for no cell phone usage. Unfortunately, this is not entirely possible in our technology reliant industry. Lawson offered a few suggestions for limiting driver distractions:
- * Implement vehicle tracking and dash cams in your vehicles to lessen the necessity for contacting your chauffeur while driving.
- * Set company policies in place for limits and guidelines for hand held device usage for when your chauffeur is driving.
- * Limit your conversation with chauffeurs until the vehicle is not in motion.
- * Encourage your chauffeurs to pre-load common activities and/or phrases (such as “on site” and “in car”) into their phones and tablets so that messages may be conveyed prior to the vehicle being in motion.
- * Implement a “three strikes” policy for repeat offenders of unnecessary handheld device usage while driving.
Lawson closed out the presentation by stating, “Regardless of what method you use to curtail distracted driving, planning ahead is key and will surely lessen undesired situations and expenses from arising.”
Visit nclimo.org for more information.
6/14
- Details
- Category: Industry News
(L to R) Chris Carson and Diane LaChapelle of the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Robert Cunningham of Platinum Limousine and LILA president, Sammy Chu of the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Doug Schwartz of Executive Limousine, and Robert Xavier of Legend LimousinesPlainview, N.Y.—The annual meeting of the Long Island Limousine Association (LILA) was held at Carlyle at the Race Palace at the end of May.
Samuel Chu, the newly appointed Suffolk Commissioner of Labor, Licensing & Consumer Affairs, who will oversee the Suffolk Taxi & Limousine Commission (SCTLC), informed LILA members on the Long Island TLC that is slated to be fully operational by the end of this July. Chu stated the TLC will have the ability to license limousine companies operating in the county, and because of regional reciprocity agreements, will allow operators to do business throughout the tri-state region without concerns of legality.
“Guaranteeing reciprocity for our drivers is one of the main reasons for this legislation,” says Chu. “Being landlocked means Suffolk County residents have to be very thoughtful about transportation issues. The business of transporting our citizens in for-hire vehicles is not only important to the county’s economy, but also to the transportation system as well. Protecting that link … and those operators is crucial.”
New York Code 498 regulates inter-jurisdictional pre-arranged for-hire vehicles, and this new branch of the TLC will operate under that code. This will give Suffolk County chauffeured ground transportation companies the ability to do business by having just one license, rather than the current situation where a company needs multiple licenses to operate statewide.
LILA membership fully supported establishing the TLC; they celebrated this initiative that will soon become a fact rather than a fiction.
Elections were also held at this meeting. While most of the current officers ran unopposed and will remain in their positions, the position of 2nd Year Director was up for grabs. This office was ultimately won by Bill Goerl of Clique Limousine.
CD Editor Jerry Bonner attended the meeting and raffled off an Atlantic City show pass. The pass was won by Penny Casey of T&J Limousine & Car Service.
Visit nslali.com for more information.
6/14