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WMLA’s President Paul Rodberg of Reliable Limousine and Executive Administrator Mary Presley Rockville, Md. — The Washington Metropolitan Limousine Association (WMLA) is currently experiencing a growth period, and CD Editor Madeleine Maccar was among the more than 50 people in attendance for its reorganizational meeting on April 19.
President Paul Rodberg of Reliable Limousine has retained his previous position while naming Mary Presley as WMLA’s Executive Administrator. Rodberg provided a brief overview of the association’s past and plans for its future, while Presley spoke about her more than 30 years of experience with buses and luxury motorcoaches, as well as her executive positions with five other transportation-related organizations, including the Maryland Limousine Association (MLA).
Both Presley and Rodberg stressed the urgency of member support in helping the association become a viable force for and asset to the region’s operators, and how working together will help them speak with a louder, more unified voice.
CD Editor Madeleine Maccar and Reggie Tymus of Capital City Limousine, who won a pass to the 2016 Chauffeur Driven Show
“Our goals for today are to find out what everyone wants from this association—we have all the players on hand for an organized board,” Presley said, as board nominations were both announced and accepted at the meeting. “We need your support as members: In terms of industry interest, we do already have the support of several manufacturers and the ABA (American Bus Association).”
Industry unity was a significant theme of the meeting, and Rodberg and Presley also opened up the floor to questions and suggestions about where the association is heading, which is a future largely hinged upon both current and prospective members’ visions. Conversations touched on a potential name change, regular newsletters to keep all members informed of association goings-on, educational offerings, and the possibility of creating a D.C. metro-area chapter unifying the region’s operators, vendors, and associations—which all agreed would require additional discussion.
L to R: Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Services, Tony Simon of Reston Limousine, Jeff Shanker of RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Services, Reggie Tymus of Capital City Limousine, and Art Miesemer, of RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Services at the RMA site visit that followed the meeting
As MLA President Joanna Fridinger of The Limo Lady was present for the meeting, the possibility of merging WMLA with Maryland’s state association was presented, though also ultimately tabled until MLA’s own reorganizational meeting scheduled for June 21, allowing its current members to also weigh in on the suggestion. Operators working in both associations’ regions compared and contrasted the different concerns specific to each, with the peculiarities of operating in a state versus the capital district serving as one of the most highlighted nuances.
Before the meeting came back around to lighter topics such as fundraiser ideas and possible social outings to foster an even stronger network among the area’s operators, Maccar spoke to attendees about how Chauffeur Driven aims to help operators with its content and associations with its meeting attendance and coverage. She also raffled off a pass to the 2016 Chauffeur Driven Show in Washington, D.C., from October 9-12, which was won by Reggie Tymus of Capital City Limousine.
After the meeting, Robert Alexander, Art Miesemer, and Jeff Shanker of RMA Worldwide Chauffeured Services invited attendees back to their newly renovated facilities for a site visit, offering office tours, vehicle showcases, and a chance to meet with the many people who work behind the scenes.
WMLA is currently planning its next meeting. Anyone interested in becoming a member, volunteering meeting space, or exploring sponsorship opportunities for future meetings and events is invited to email Presley at tourtrvl@comcast.net.
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Springfield, Mo. — Executive Coach Builders (ECB) is pleased to announce that they have received MasterUpfitter 2015-2016 status from Mercedes-Benz. According to ECB’s President, David Bakare, this certification provides clients with the peace of mind of knowing their vehicle is safe and complies with the high standards and guidelines of Mercedes-Benz.
“ECB is a 40-year-old company that has always been very diligent about safety compliance in the ground transportation industry,” said Bakare. “Achieving the MasterUpfitter status is just another way to reassure our clients that the vehicle they’re buying from us is a safety-approved vehicle.”
Bakare believes that joining the network of MasterUpfitter builders not only provides a professional advantage, but it is also logical decision.
“We just want to make sure our clients get the best vehicle out there, so it makes sense for us to be in the program.”
Founded in 1976, ECB is the world’s largest limousine manufacturer. Additionally, the company carries a complete line of ground transportation vehicles ranging from sedans to 50-seat passenger busses.
Visit ecblimo.com for more information.
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Immediate Past President and Chair of the Nominating Committee Mike Fogarty (left) of Tristar Worldwide and TLPA President Dwight Kines of Transdev on Demand
New York — From April 21-23, the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) 2016 Spring Conference & Expo delivered its intimate-setting education, networking, and exhibit hall to the nearly 350 people flocking to its Grand Hyatt New York locale. CD’s Publisher Chris Weiss was on hand for the event, as he serves on the association’s Limousine Steering Committee.
The first day of the Expo kicked off with a number of meetings, including the open meetings of both the Taxicab and Paratransit steering committees. And since no first day of an event is complete without a capstone opening ceremony, cocktails were served at an evening reception in the Expo Hall to greet attendees and offer them a sneak peek of the Expo’s many exhibits.
Members of TLPA’s Limousine Steering Committee (L to R): Rick Versace of A1A Airport & Limousine Service, Committee Co-Chair Paige Coker of Birmingham Yellow Cab, and Ira Goldstein of The Black Car Fund
Friday’s general session began the event’s second day. Immediate Past President and Chair of the Nominating Committee Mike Fogarty of Tristar Worldwide issued a call for nominations to the board while TLPA President Dwight Kines of Transdev on Demand delivered the TLPA Report.
Additional presenters at the general session included: TLPA President-Elect Bill Scalzi of Metro Taxi, who also spoke about TNCs and TLPA’s Taxicab Business Model Review Task Force, of which he is Committee Chair; John Boit of PR firm Melwood Global, who discussed the association’s new website and its shifting PR campaign that will focus less on attacking TNCs and more on highlighting the attributes of legally operating transportation options; and International Association of Transportation Regulators President Matt Daus of Windels Marx, who explored TNCs’ impact on everything from driver wages to underserved communities to the environment.
After lunch, TLPA’s Limousine Steering Committee met to discuss topics like its educational agenda for the year, promotions and recruiting ideas to encourage membership, and public relations initiatives. Updates about TLPA’s legislative, regulatory, and legal efforts were also key topics at the meeting.
L to R: Tarek Mallah of Karhoo, Berj Haroutunian of Vital Transportation, and CD Publisher Chris WeissThe day continued with a presentation from the Women in Transportation Committee, as well as two sets of three concurrent sessions focusing on the individual demands of the association’s taxicab, limousine, and paratransit operators.
For the final day of the Expo, attendees had the option of embarking upon one of two company tours, either Verifone or CMT Group, both of which were Bronze Sponsors for the event, before the conference was adjourned.
There will be expanded coverage of the TLPA Spring Conference & Expo in the June issue of Chauffeur Driven.
TLPA’s next event is its Mid-Year International Leadership Conference in Toronto, Ontario, July 20-23.
Visit tlpa.org for more information.
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