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Mike Tafoya, Dispatch Manager
Josie Reyes, Accounting Manager
Debbie Eastman, Affiliate Relations Manager
Long Beach, Calif. — Chauffeured ground transportation company, The COTS Group, is pleased to be celebrate almost three decades of business by welcoming a highly anticipated addition to their fleet.
"We here at The COTS Group are enthusiastic to enter our 27th year in the industry,” said President & CEO Mo Garkani. “As our clientele continues to expand, we are thrilled to increase our fleet with five new Lincoln Continental sedans.”
The Continental is now available for their clients, and joins a fleet of more 100 vehicles in the COTS Group companies, which include Continental Limousine, Fleetwood Limousine, PV Limousine, Apex Transportation, and Ace Limousine. With a diverse vehicle base that includes sedans, limousines, vans, SUVs, buses, and mini-buses, Garkani’s motto is “if we don't have it, it doesn't exist.”
In addition to announcing the new cars, Garkani is celebrating their anniversary with promotion of three key members of the COTS team. Mike Tafoya, a five-year veteran of the company, will now serve as dispatch manager, and Josie Reyes, who has been with COTS for two years, is now accounting manager.
Debbie Eastman—another five-year COTS vet—will spearhead affiliate relations, and, according to Garkani, “will oversee the continual expansion of our inbound and outbound affiliate relationships.”
“We are proud of the promoted staff we have in place. Their experience sure to guide us to achieve our future goals,” said Garkani.
Visit cotsgroup.com for more information.
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Rockville, Md. — Rallying under the theme “Fleet Forward,” owners and executives of transportation companies from around the world will gather in Phoenix, Ariz., from October 31-November 4 for the biggest annual industry event hosted by the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA), its Annual Convention & Trade Show.
The 98th annual event will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center. The convention and trade show will bring together some 1,000 leaders of the for-hire transportation industry from around North America, as well as overseas participants from as far away as Asia, Australia, and Europe.
“This year’s theme of ‘Fleet Forward’ signals the opportunity ahead of us in the resurgence of licensed, local, for-hire passenger transportation,” said TLPA President Dwight Kines. “This is our time to shine, to show our commitment to service, safety and reliability that our passengers can expect, and to share those stories and ideas with one another.”
The convention theme is based on the new TLPA “Fleet Forward” initiative that seeks to inspire all fleet operators by sharing the business practices and successes of colleagues within the industry.
TLPA’s Annual Convention & Trade Show Premiere Sponsor iCabbi’s booth at the 2015 event This year’s convention agenda is packed with informational presentations, discussion groups and breakout sessions. Topics include cost-saving practices for call centers, chauffeur retention, taxicab marketing and rebranding efforts, cutting-edge trends in paratransit operations, and more. Some 100 vendors will showcase the most advanced products and services available to help today’s modern transportation company run more efficiently, including the latest vehicles, computer hardware and software, insurance, dispatch systems, advertising, financing, credit card processing, and mobile applications.
In addition to convention presentations and trade show exhibits, attendees can also enjoy: the annual golf tournament to benefit the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Foundation; a private tour of Phoenix transportation operator Total Transit; the always popular Women in Transportation Committee annual networking dinner; a member appreciation reception; and a closing banquet on November 3 with a performance by musician and comedian Mark Eddie.
The premier sponsors of this year’s convention are iCabbi and Autocab. They are joined by platinum sponsor MTData, gold sponsors Atlas Financial Holdings and CMT Group, silver sponsor BB&T–John Burnham Insurance Services, and bronze sponsors American Business Insurance Services, Delta Wing Technology Group, and the Black Car Fund.
The Hyatt Regency in Phoenix has reserved a limited number of rooms for TLPA attendees until September 30, or when the block sells out. Head to tlpa.org/Reservations to reserve a room online.
Visit www.tlpa.org/Annual-Convention-Trade-Show for more information about the event.
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It’s less than a week away from the 2016 CD Show in Washington, D.C., and if you’re like us, you’re in full-preparation mode, firming up your plans and finalizing your schedule. But if you haven’t signed up for our pre-registration events, now is the time. The clock is ticking and remaining space is limited.
On Sunday, one of the most popular mainstays at the CD Show makes its return: The Operator Mentoring Program, sponsored by Grech Motors. If you haven’t already claimed your space at this mutually beneficial roundtable of peers and industry veterans alike, there’s still time! Head on over to chauffeurdrivenshow.com/mentor-registration-signup.html. Space has been filled with many of our mentors, but there’s still time to pre-register to learn from some of the most recognized operators in the industry. A few slots are still open for:
- Alan Candeub, President of Park Avenue Limousine
- Eric Devlin, President of Premier Transportation
- Jon Epstein, President of Royal Coachman Worldwide
- Joe Ironi, President of Global Alliance Worldwide
- Kyara Kahakauwila, VP Operations of LA Limousines
- Steve Qua, President & CEO of Company Car & Limousine
- Tracy Raimer, Founder/Managing Partner of Chicago's Transportation Group
- Ron Stein, President/CEO of Exclusive Sedan Service
- Mike Zappone, President of All Transportation Network
Don’t forget that pre-registration is a must this year, as there will be no onsite registration for this event.
On Monday, the debut Benchmark Breakouts promise to be the most highly anticipated offerings we’ve introduced at our shows. 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 limited, and a number of groups are full.
If you want to confer with your industry peers in moderated benchmarking groups 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.
To make the most of your visit to Washington D.C., this year we’ll be offering tours of the nation’s capital before and after the show. 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. 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.
Now live and available for download on both iOS and Android operating systems, our show app is an indispensable tool to find all the maps, schedules, speaker information, and event descriptions you’ll need for next week’s show. 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 breaks new ground in trade show networking by letting you just scan the QR code on your fellow attendees’ badges to organize their contact information right in your phone. With this upgrade, 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.
While space is limited and time is short to pre-register for select events, you still have a chance to join in the excitement. Register now online and join us for a show that promises the incredible education, non-stop networking, buying opportunities, 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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