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L to R: Denny Leinhos of Avant Garde Limousines, CLA President Erica Bugbee of ExecuStar World Class Transportation, and Len Joseph of On The Town Limousines
The Colorado Limousine Association (CLA) held their Summer Meeting & Conference on July 9 at the Courtyard Marriott Cherry Creek in Denver. Attracting more than 80 members and guests, the day-long event offered opportunities for education and networking for the participants who came from all over the country. CD President Chris Weiss was among those on-hand as a guest speaker.
“It was fantastic,” says CLA President Erica Bugbee of ExecuStar World Class Transportation. “The meeting brought out a ton of new people who don’t typically attend our meetings. As we were marketing the event, our membership increased by nine operators who joined with the intention of getting a ticket to the meeting. This is not a moneymaker for the CLA; we do this solely as an educational event. We have a lot of small operators in our membership. Last year we did it as a half-day event, so this year we wanted to expand on it a bit more. Our full intent is to bring educational opportunities to operators who might not experience the shows. The networking is nice since we get new people who might get to meet new faces.”
NLA Board Member Tiffany Hinton of MOTEV with CD President Chris Weiss
In addition to presenters from firms like Driving Results, Career Driver, PAX Training, and Limo Anywhere, the National Limousine Association (NLA), and Chauffeur Driven, the meeting also offered locally relevant information from both the Denver International Airport and Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC). First up was Walker Sears from the airport, who discussed upcoming fee changes fee changes to the membership.
“[The airport] is doing a 20 percent increase in fees, which may seem shocking, but they haven’t had an increase in 5 years. It was nice for them to have a face-to-face opportunity to explain that better,” shares Bugbee.
L to R: CLA Sergeant of Arms Moe Bouayad of Crown Worldwide, Chris Weiss, and CLA President Erica Bugbee
Similarly, Nate Riley from the PUC also was on hand to talk about financial matters as the commission is adding an annual fee for operators, which has never been instituted before.
However, the bulk of the summer conference was devoted to education. After the board and sponsors were introduced, the day kicked off with a presentation from Andy Norman of Limo Anywhere, who provided updates about the software provider as well as advances in AI for business. Later, Ken Lucci of Driving Transactions offered a split session devoted to pricing and selling value.
CD swag recipients including Show Pass Winner Nadia Pettignano of Eight Black Airport Shuttle (far right)
“This year’s Colorado Limousine Association Summer Meeting & Conference was exceptional. For a one-day event, the agenda was packed with great material and action items that operators could take back to their businesses and implement. My morning presentation highlighted tactics to sell value instead of low price, and then in the afternoon I provided a session on knowing your costs and formulating pricing strategies,” says Lucci.
Guest speakers: James Blain of PAX Training, Tiffany Hinton, Ken Lucci of Driving Transactions, Jodie Lethgo of Career Driver, and Andy Norman of Limo Anywhere
During the afternoon, the CLA welcomed NLA Board Member Tiffany Hinton of MOTEV talked about the NLA and the organization’s GreenRides Initiative, which is designed to promote and implement environmentally responsible practices across the industry. Following an afternoon break, Jodie Lethgo of Career Driver presented on Marketing Strategies for Driving Digital Results, while James Blain of PAX Training shared the Secret to Creating Fiercely Loyal Customers. Blain encouraged operators and their staff to go the extra mile when it comes to providing service.
Weiss was the day’s final speaker, and he wrapped things up by discussing the role of CD in the industry, as well as what first-time attendees can expect from CD/NLA events, such as the Fall Show at the Gaylord National on October 13-16. He then offered an array of giveaways including CD lapel pins, t-shirts, and branded earbuds. A pass to the Fall Show was raffled off and won by Nadia Pettignano of Eight Black Airport Shuttle.
Bugbee revealed that the CLA is planning a September meeting in Vail.
“This will expose us to as many as 50 operators from the mountain region,” she says.
Visit cololimo.org for more information.
[07.16.24]
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You probably heard last week that prices fell for the first time from May to June 2024 0.1 percent, and while the price drop seems miniscule, it is having a positive impact. According to the US Travel Association (USTA), those falling prices are having an affect on travel-related goods and services too.
USTA President & CEO Geoff Freeman
According to the association’s Travel Price Index (TPI)—which is calculated by USTA—prices decreased 1.4 percent from the previous month, led by lower hotel, airline, and gas prices. This is likely already being felt throughout the US economy as the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) noted that it screened the largest number of passengers over the July Fourth holiday weekend ever. On July 7 alone (Sunday), the TSA screened more than 3 million travels—setting a new record for the agency.
“Now is the time for the travel industry to boost volume,” said USTA President & CEO Geoff Freeman. “We’ve already seen travelers take advantage, with eight of the ten busiest days in TSA’s history occurring in 2024. It’s essential that the industry is equipped with the right funding, resources and technology—coupled with sustained government focus—to meet an increase in demand.”
Visit ustravel.org for more information.
[07.15.24]
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Another summer of news from the auto industry, including a major pivot by one of the major automakers
Ford CEO Says We Need to Reshape Our Vehicle Expectations: Jim Farley, who became Ford’s CEO in 2020, recently spoke at the Aspen Ideas Festival last month about the future of the automaker and why he has a love affair with EVs. The self-proclaimed “old school car person” is hoping that the average consumer will also learn to love the benefits that he says EVs deliver, including effortless acceleration and the ability to slow the car without using a brake, to name a few. With that, he announced that Ford would be focusing on making more affordable—and smaller—EVs in the coming years, including one that would be a direct competitor to China’s BYD (which currently has steep tariffs placed on it by the Biden administration). This marks a radical shift in Ford’s platform, which had mostly comprised larger vehicles in recent years.
Ford CEO Jim Farley
“You have to make a radical change to get to a profitable EV. The first thing we have to do is really put all of our capital toward smaller, more affordable EVs,” he said during the conference.
Ford famously electrified its best-selling F-150 truck—called Lightning, which is also Farley’s daily driver—but he cites the weight and cost of moving these larger vehicles on batteries alone. Farley hopes that the unnamed new vehicle in the $30,000 range will be ready in roughly two-and-a-half years for the North American market.
You can listen to the full speech here.
Volvo EX90
Volvo’s Biggest Electric SUV Is Finally Here: The Swedish automaker Volvo just released its largest all-electric SUV when the new flagship SUV rolled off their production line in Charleston, S.C., this past month. It’s one of four EVs that Volvo currently has in its lineup. Volvo began producing cars in the South Carolina city in 2018, and it is also the production facility for the EX90 and S60 sedan.
Volvo says that the EX90 is their “safest car to date” as it’s powered by a new generation of safety and technology, including a suite of sensors and cameras. It was designed to offer space, comfort, and versatility for all passengers. The seven-seater has a range of up to 308 miles and a price tag starting around $80,000. You can read more about it here.
Genesis G80
Genesis G80 Earns Top Honors: Genesis’ luxe executive sedan was once again named “Best Upper Midsize Premium Car” by J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study. This is the fourth year in a row that the brand has earned the honor. The line also includes the Electrified G80, which was a 2024 IIHS Top Safety Pick. The Electrified G80 was introduced in 2022 and is the company’s second of three EVs.
“G80 remains a core product in our sedan lineup, offering customers the perfect balance of comfort and refined performance. G80’s impressive performance in this year’s J.D. Power Initial Quality Study demonstrates our commitment to delivering exceptional products and keeping our customers top of mind,” said Genesis Executive Director of Quality and Service Engineering Omar Rivera in a press release from the company.
[07.09.24]