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L to R: Tiffany Hinton of MOTEV, Modaser Nazir of Stay Classy Black Car Service, Harry Dhillon of Ecko Worldwide Transportation, Doug Schwartz of Executive Transportation, Mo Garkani of The COTS Group, Ned Johnson of Grech Motors, Donielle Fawcett-McKee of Personal Sedan Services, and Mike Duda of Gold Coast Town Car Service
More than 80 members representing 33 states convened in Washington, D.C., on April 28-29 for the National Limousine Association’s Day on the Hill. The annual advocacy event allowed attendees to address a bevy of issues impacting the national industry directly with several key members of Congress, including Maine Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and N.Y. Congressman Mike Lawler (R-N.Y. 17). Lawler joined members while preparing for meetings for a productive roundtable discussion on key issues including congestion pricing, which he strongly opposes. CD President Chris Weiss was also among the attendees.
L to R: Chris Weiss of Chauffeur Driven, Alicia Hayes of American Classic Limousine, Maine Senator Susan Collins, Brett Barenholtz of Above All/Maine Limousine, and Louie Perry of Cornerstone Government Affairs
Among the event’s top priorities:
• Restoring Bonus Depreciation: Extend Section 168(k) to allow businesses to continue deducting the full expense of new vehicle purchases in the year of acquisition, critical for fleet modernization and cost control.
• No Tax on Tips: Support provisions that would eliminate federal taxes on employee tips, improving workforce retention and supporting frontline workers.
• Enhancing Section 179 Deductions: Strengthen small business investment incentives by increasing and expanding Section 179 expensing capabilities.
• Preventing Harmful Congestion Taxes: Pass the Economic Impact of Tolling Act to require comprehensive economic analyses before cities can impose congestion pricing schemes that harm businesses and communities.
L to R: AJ Thurber of Grech Motors, Doug Schwartz, Tiffany Hinton, and Kevin Illingworth of Classique Worldwide Transportation
• Addressing the Insurance Crisis: Establish a federal task force through the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill to study and develop solutions to address the rising costs of commercial auto insurance.
• Ensuring Airport Access and Fairness: Extend FAA grant assurances to ground transportation providers to ensure equitable access, fair treatment, and competitive fee structures at airports nationwide.
“Chauffeured ground transportation is a critical part of America's transportation system, for both business and leisure travel,” said NLA President Brett Barenholtz of Above All/Maine Limousine. “Without thoughtful policy support, operators will face unnecessary barriers to growth and sustainability. We urge Congress to protect the future of our industry and the millions of Americans it serves.”
L to R: Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide, Jason Gogel of Country Club Transportation, Barry Trabb of Complete Fleet Livery Sales, Joe Gulino of Gem Worldwide, Mike Rose of My Limousine Service, and Mike Barreto of Metropolis Passenger Logistics
The two-day event featured in-depth sessions from NLA lobbying firm Cornerstone Government Affairs on current legislation impacting the industry nationally as well as advice on getting the most of out the meetings with Congressional members and their aides.
Each year, the association awards scholarships to operators to attend the event. This year’s winners included:
• Paulos Bekele of Executive Transportation
• Nelson Burton Jr. of Burton Transport
• Paula DeBiasi of Chicago CoachWorks
• Donielle Fawcett-McKee of Personal Sedan Services
• Alicia Hayes of American Classic Limousine
• Chad Jones of Primetime Transportation
• Hillary Louarti of Diamond Transportation
• Guri Rajput of SRTC Limo
L to R: Scott Woodruff of Majestic Limo & Coach, Matt Assolin of RMA Worldwide, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Deanna Ballard of World Travel Management, Paulos Bekele of Executive Transportation of Denver, and Kevin Retchless from ABC Companies
The NLA, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, currently represents thousands of small business owners, the majority (96%) of which operate fewer than 50 vehicles.
“On behalf of the NLA legislative co-chairs, I want to thank all the members who traveled to Washington, D.C., to make this year’s NLA Day on the Hill another successful showcase of the chauffeured transportation industry with our federal legislators. We had so many great meetings and positive responses and are excited to pursue the many opportunities. We now must enact positive legislation for our industry,” said NLA Legislative Co-Chair Matt Assolin of RMA Worldwide.
Visit limo.org for more information.
[05.05.25]
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On April 29, the Long Island Limousine Association (LILA) held a membership meeting at the Four Points Sheraton in Nassau County. Fifty members and guests were in attendance to discuss the association’s ongoing measures to eliminate illegal operators in their market. LILA President Tom Gouldsbury of Azure Limousine is optimistic about the headway made in recent months.
L to R: Joe Marotta of Acrisure Insurance, Douglas Schwartz of Executive Transportation, Charlie Gandolfo of Dynasty Limo, LILA President Tom Gouldsbury of Azure Limousion, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romane, and Ariel Ullberg of Azure Limousine
“We are currently seeing a lot of momentum. We are here to educate the officials, officers, and legislators, and we’re starting to see real results,” he says.
Recently LILA directors were part of a Zoom meeting with the East End Police Chiefs Association. The association’s goal was to create awareness of unlicensed operators amongst law enforcement. During the meeting, LILA shared an enforcement tip sheet for officers and discussed an East End press conference for the Summer & Fall Season to alert local restaurants and venues to only hire licensed operators. Gouldsbury says that a face-to-face meeting has been scheduled with two local police chiefs to further elucidate the dangers presented by these operators.
Furthermore, it was reported that the association had a productive meeting with Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, who pledged his support to the industry by agreeing to increase enforcement through the hiring of investigators to eliminate unlicensed operators. In May, Romaine will take part in a press conference with LILA and Suffolk County Police Department to alert the public to only hire licensed cars during prom season.
“Romaine has also assigned one of his legislators to work together with us so we can funnel the plate numbers and information directly to him. We really got the ball rolling,” says Gouldsbury.
Lastly, it was revealed that LILA will be featured in local newspapers on Long Island. Members can look forward to a story about the association and their current battle, along with a public service advertisement.
During the meeting LILA’s public relations representative Anthony Manetta shared a slide deck recounting the highlights of their ongoing awareness campaign, including the establishment of a public tip line to report illegal operators. Chauffeurs, owners, and the public at large are encouraged to call 631.944.8448 or email ContactLILALongIsland@gmail.com with any information regarding bad actors.
Visit lilimoassociation.com for more information.
[05.05.25]
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- Category: Industry News
Are the tariffs and other policies of the Trump administration having an impact on inbound US travel and those suppliers? According to a recent survey by American Bus Association (ABA), National Tour Association (NTA), and Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA), demand has dropped from international leisure travelers in recent months, including one of the US’ most significant partners: Canada.
NTA published the findings of the report in late April, finding that:
- Just over half of all respondents (51%) say their business or destination has lost business, bookings, or visitation from Canadian or other international groups; 25% say they’ve seen no impact; while another 16% are unsure at this time. The remaining respondents do not operate international inbound travel.
- Participants were asked to be specific about the impact of reduced international visitation. 61% of DMOs and hoteliers say they have experienced canceled room nights, 56% are seeing lost revenue, and 41% have seen a drop in overall visitation.
- Asked if they have seen a reduction in future business leads or interest from Canadian or international groups, 46% of all respondents report seeing a decline; 22% say they’ve seen no impact; while 17% are unsure at this time. The remaining respondents do not operate international inbound travel.
- While only 32% of U.S. tour and motorcoach operators say they’ve been impacted, 63% of sellers (DMOs, attractions, hotels, and restaurants) report being impacted.
According to the report, DMOs, hotels, and restaurants are having the greatest impact, with 63% of sellers saying it’s impacting their business. Among tour and motorcoach operators, 32% report a loss of business from international travelers. Additionally, those surveyed “cited economic uncertainty/recession risk/consumer confidence” as the primary concern for the coming year.
“I’ve spoken with many of our Canadian tour operators, and the significant losses they’re experiencing based on Canadian travelers canceling plans to visit the United States are now being reflected in what our U.S. destinations and suppliers are telling us,” said NTA President Catherine Prather. “The damage to business is happening now and will continue in the future.”
For additional context, the US National Travel & Tourism office, a division of the US Commerce Department, reported that inbound travel from Western Europe had dropped 12% in March, including usually reliable tourists from the UK and Germany. The administration has also proposed making entry into the US more difficult for dozens of nationals from countries deemed dangerous to American security, which included countries like Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea. Several other countries, including Russia, Pakistan, and several African nations, may face heightened restrictions rather than outright bans.
“This survey reinforces what many of us are seeing across the group travel industry: Economic uncertainty and reduced international visitation are creating real headwinds for operators, destinations, and service providers alike,” said ABA CEO Fred Furguson. “But our $100 billion industry has always been resilient, and through our continued partnership with NTA and SYTA, we’re committed to telling the story of group travel’s economic impact. Together, we’ll support the recovery and help prepare America for the mega-decade of major events that lies ahead.”
While the news is certainly raising concerns, Business Travel News reports that inbound corporate travel—including from Canada—is not facing the same precipitous drops as leisure, with the US National Travel & Tourism Office backing up those claims based on demand for business visas.
Visit ntaonline.com, buses.org, and syta.org for more information about the report.
[04.29.25]