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Winner of the 2016 CD Show pass Michael Green of A Platinum Plus Limousine (left) and CD’s Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela
Columbia, Md. — The Maryland Limousine Association (MLA) and Maryland Motorcoach Association (MMA) held a joint meeting on September 20 at the Double Tree by Hilton. Co-sponsored by Wells Fargo and PB Mares CPAs & Consultants, the meeting was attended by 20 members and guests, including CD’s Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela.
The event quickly got underway with a presentation by guest speaker Brodie Mack, safety operations program manager, eastern service center, of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Mack spoke about two hot button topics affecting both associations: fire safety and regulations and compliance. First, he addressed risk management relating to bus fires, advising attendees that equipment failure is the biggest cause of fires. Mack stress the importance of pre-trip inspections and the proper maintenance of your vehicles and their operating systems. During the second half of his presentation, geared towards limo operators, he reviewed the federal regulations that govern the industry. Mack emphasized the importance of keeping accurate drivers’ logs, and informed the group that in 2017, it will be a requirement to have electronic logs.
The next speaker, Roland H. Pachino, serves as a senior tax manager for meeting’s co-sponsor PB Mares. His session offered business owners with tips and advice on the ins and outs of selling and valuing their companies. Pachino reviewed multiple layers of selling your company, and explained how valuation is “more theoretical than actual.”
L to R: Marvin Prince of LSA Worldwide, MLA President Joanna Fridinger of The Limo Lady, and Thomas Quill of Royale
After lunch was served, two representatives from co-sponsor Wells Fargo addressed the MLA and MMA members. Joe Silhavy, vice president, principal business relationship manager, and Michael Sontag, vice president, business development officer, provided an overview of funding options that Wells Fargo can provide to the limousine and motor coach industries. According to the reps, Wells Fargo is the largest motor coach funder in the country, and they suggest treating your banker as a “partner” in the business.
Jagiela was the day’s final speaker, and took the opportunity to congratulate MLA President Joanna Fridinger of The Limo Lady and MLA & MMA Executive Administrator Mary Presley on the concept of bringing the associations together for meeting. He then praised the value of the meeting’s educational content, and encouraged attendees to “keep their listening ears on” when receiving education at the meetings. Jagiela then spoke about the upcoming CD Show in Washington, D.C., spotlighting the education and new Benchmark Breakout sessions.
Before the meeting was adjourned, Jagiela gave away a show pass, eschewing the familiar business card raffles in favor of a Chauffeur Driven trivia question. The pass was won by Michael Green of A Platinum Plus Limousines.
Visit mdlimoassoc.org or marylandmotorcoach.org for more information.
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Berlin — Professional drivers around the world can double their bonuses as a reward for sustained high quality, as global professional driver service Blacklane expanded the Partner Prestige Club to its 230+ cities on October 1. All Blacklane driver partners are automatically eligible, based on performance and the number of rides they choose to accept.
The Partner Prestige Club builds upon Blacklane’s quality-based bonus program. Today, professional driver companies earn a monthly bonus based on criteria such as ride volume and excellent passenger ratings.
Going forward, companies that sustain these results for at least three consecutive months will receive a larger monthly quality bonus. For qualifying companies, the quality bonus increases by 10 percent after three months, 30 percent after six months, and doubles after one year. In addition, members of the Partner Prestige Club become preferred partners for Blacklane’s event and V.I.P. business.
| Partner Prestige Club Level | Duration of High Quality | Quality Bonus Increase |
| Silver | 3 months | 10 percent |
| Gold | 6 months | 30 percent |
| Black | 12 months | 100 percent |
One of the first companies to do so was Mike Joy’s Ground Transport LTD in London. According to Joy: “We have chosen to work with Blacklane because of its professionalism. We are very happy to see that the Partner Prestige Club explicitly acknowledges our professional understanding and our performance. We take pride in what we do and we aim at only delivering top quality to the customer.”
"We value our global network of professional drivers," said Jens Wohltorf, CEO and co-founder of Blacklane. "Our driver partners are the face of Blacklane to passengers on every trip. We want to reward those who provide the best service each and every time so we can continue to grow together.”
Visit blacklane.com for more information.
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The 2016 CD Show in Washington, D.C., is just 19 days away and we’re putting the final touches on what promises to be another can’t-miss event! While we’re bringing back a ton of longstanding favorites, we’ll also be revamping a few of them while bringing you some fresh new offerings, too.
This year’s show floor at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center will boast 115,000 square feet of exhibit space that’s absolutely packed with vehicles, services, and technology to benefit your operation. We’ll be doing things a little differently with our show floor this year, starting with Sunday-Tuesday hours—plus a Show Floor Preview & Champagne Reception to kick things off on Sunday, Oct. 9. Thanks to sponsor Ford Lincoln Limousine and Livery Vehicles, the convention center is also where you can take a 2017 Continental for a spin during our Ride & Drive event on Monday and Tuesday.
Our in-demand Operator Mentoring Program, sponsored by Grech Motors, will make its return on Sunday. Pre-registration is a must this year, as there will be no onsite registration for this event. If you haven’t already claimed your space at this mutually beneficial round table of peers and industry veterans alike, there’s still time! Head on over to chauffeurdrivenshow.com/mentor-registration-signup.html, but remember that mentor selections are on a first-come, first-served basis.
We are pleased to debut Benchmark Breakouts this year, which will bring the peer-group concept to the masses on Monday. If you’ve ever wanted to hash out your biggest issues or most pressing questions with others who share your revenue bracket, job title, operational focus, or compliance concerns, this is your chance! Space is filling up quickly, so if you want to confer with your industry peers in moderated benchmarking sessions covering a whole range of topics, pre-register now! This is another event that will not accept onsite sign-ups so visit chauffeurdrivenshow.com/show-information/benchmark-breakouts.html to make sure you’re a part of the conversation.
Our show app is now available for download on both iOS and Android operating systems, which is where you’ll find all the maps, schedules, speaker information, and event descriptions you’ll need. Sponsored by North Point Transportation Group, the app not only allows you to instantly connect with other attendees so you can network on the go, but also has a brand-new feature that will make keeping track of all your new contacts a snap. Our first-ever lead retrieval system will let you simply scan the QR code on your fellow show-goers’ badges and organize their contact information right in your phone. For just $100 extra on your registration free, you’ll get the peace of mind of not having to worry about losing or shuffling through business cards—or forgetting your own back in your room—plus the benefit of not missing a beat while getting to know a potential new affiliate or vendor partner.
To make the most of our time in the nation’s capital, we’ll be offering city tours before and after the show this year. With transportation generously provided by Reston Limousine, our complimentary three-hour tours will bring you to some of Washington, D.C.’s, most iconic sites. At noon, 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 8, and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12, you’ll have a chance to visit an impressive roster of military and presidential memorials, and learn more about the likes of Ford’s Theatre, Arlington National Cemetery, the Washington Monument, and so much more. Head to restonlimo.com/events/cd2016citytours to sign up now.
While time to pre-register for select events is running out, there’s still time to join us for a show that promises the incredible education, non-stop networking, and awesome nightlife CD brings to the industry every year. Visit chauffeurdrivenshow.com to register now—we can’t wait to see you in D.C.!
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