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L to R: Andy Thompson and CRLA President Tom Holden of Rose Chauffeured Transportation, CRLA Secretary Laura Canady of CLT Express, CRLA Vice President Shawn Glasgow of Peak Limousine, and CD Publisher Chris Weiss
Charlotte, N.C. — Members of the Charlotte Regional Limousine Association (CRLA) met up March 29 to discuss their approach to seeking a level playing field in the face of a bill allowing TNCs to operate across the state.
According to CRLA Secretary Laura Canady of CLT Express, text from that same bill—a nearly verbatim version of other ordinances that Uber has helped write—prohibits any city or county from regulating TNCs, creating an increasingly uneven playing field for regulated luxury ground transportation and taxis alike.
Additionally, “there is no other city in either of the Carolinas that regulates the way that Charlotte does,” which has caused a considerable amount of grief for those operating within the city’s limits and under the auspices of the Passenger Vehicle for Hire Department of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
“They regulate us, and so we have chauffeur permits and fees, vehicle permits and fees, and company permits and fees, so a few of us with larger fleets are paying quite a sum of money to operate in the city of Charlotte,” Canady said. “It’s always been a thorn in our sides but we have always participated instead of going rogue because we believe in certain regulations, and we want the city to be held to a higher standard.”
Now, however, CRLA has retained the services of an attorney well-versed in not only the association’s needs but also “all of the key players” from both the Charlotte City Council and city attorney’s office with whom it’s necessary to continue a dialogue. After members of the association’s executive board met to determine its attorney’s direction and the bargaining chips CRLA has in its favor, a battle plan has emerged for moving forward.
“We sat there as an association and agreed that we want our attorney to reach out to a couple of city council members who are on safety committees, and they’re the ones who are going to be helping rewrite this ordinance,” Canady said, adding that CRLA members and non-members operating in Charlotte alike have also pored over the ordinance text section by section to identify passages that are either outdated or apply only to taxis. “We asked our attorney point-blank what our changes are for getting what we want, so we’re aiming high and ready to negotiate.”
Canady added that she believes Uber’s “ways will pass” as the riding public finds that TNCs disregard the very regulations developed to promote safety in traditional transportation.
“Uber will always be there: It’s a great technology, but I think that the big wave they’re on now will level off,” she said. “As people learn more about some of the negatives, they’re going to ask, ‘Well, why aren’t you fingerprinting your drivers? Why aren’t you doing a more thorough background check?’ And so those of us already doing that will be fine, and we’ll be able to tell our clients that this is something we’ve always done. Safety has always been a key factor for us.”
The next CRLA meeting will be May 4.
Visit mycrla.org for more information.
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Get ready to strut. It’s with less than TWO WEEKS until our Executive Retreat kicks off in the Crescent City, New Orleans! Because our Retreat is specifically tailored for operators of ALL sizes to network in a casual environment, it’s limited to only 200 operators overall. And it’s not just for the “big” guys out there: Although many of the leading operators from across the country have already registered, it’s an excellent opportunity for small and midsize operators to network with their peers without too much time away from the office. There’s also plenty of fun and unique activities planned so that it’s actually more like a working vacation that benefits your business. Score!
Sounds amazing, right? With only 30 passes left, you’d be crazy to pass up this opportunity.
Here’s what we have in store: four world-class education sessions, three of which feature dynamic, engaging speakers from outside the industry; private events like our Steamboat Natchez dinner cruise and dinner at Mardi Gras World; two nights of the hottest live music on iconic Bourbon and Frenchmen streets; carriage tours of the historic French Quarter, most of your meals and drinks included, and so much more. The education alone is worth the price of admission!
On Monday, we launch our program with “Brand Harmony: Communicate a Story That Drives Business Results,” which will guide you in identifying, embracing, and aligning your brand with your overall sales and business development strategy. Speaker Steve Yastrow, founder of marketing firm Yastrow and Company, has a passion for creating revolutionary sales and marketing systems that yield major profit breakthroughs. He also has an understanding of the hospitality industry through his former position at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.
Monday’s second session is “10 Minutes to a More Profitable Website/5 Things Your Website Is Trying to Tell You” with speaker Matt Weber, CEO of ROAR! Internet Marketing. Based on research on what motivates people to take certain actions on a website, you’ll leave with pages full of notes on how to make your website a more effective lead generator. Weber will also use real examples from members of the audience’s websites.
After a group breakfast on Tuesday, we immediately kick off the day with “Priced for Profit: How to Calculate and Determine if a Vehicle, Run or Even a Client Is Making You Money.” This session will help you identify what services and customers are profitable by weighing their financial pros and cons. You’ll be able to determine what—and who—is either filling your coffers or decreasing your margins so you can move ahead accordingly. Speakers Mike Campbell of Grace Limousine and Ron Sorci of Professional Consulting Resources will share their knowledge and know-how from decades of industry experience in running their own businesses to make sure that you are maximizing your company’s potential.
Kristen Carroll—who is also co-chair of our education committee and helped to create this entire program—and Christina Davis of The LMC Group spearhead our final session, “The Termination Process: How to Protect Your Ass-ets.” This is something that any operator can relate to; Carroll and Davis will give advice on how to make firing an employee a little less painful and to minimize the damage done when severing a professional relationship.
Get registered today! Visit neworleansretreat.com to register now.
Many thanks again to all of our generous sponsors, including Platinum Sponsors Turtle Top and the Tenney Group, for making the event possible.
Visit neworleansretreat.com for the latest updates and information. Have questions? Give our Director of Events Jess Pavlow a call at 856.452.0323.
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New York — The National Limousine Association (NLA) recently issued a nationwide survey on the subjects of safety and communications in the private ground transportation industry in an effort to learn more about the thoughts and opinions of the general public following the horrific shooting spree by an on-duty Uber driver in Michigan last month. The survey, conducted online by Harris Poll and commissioned by the NLA in February 2016 among over 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, revealed that an overwhelming 93% of consumers feel they should be able to contact a car service operator or dispatcher in real-time if they do not feel safe during a car service ride. Additionally, 9 in 10 said passengers of all car services should have the ability to speak to a live customer service operator or dispatcher at any time and 85% of consumers believe that it should be the sole responsibility of the car service provider to discipline or relieve a driver of their duties if they are driving or behaving in an unsafe manner. These results have prompted the announcement of the NLA’s 2016 Day on the Hill in Washington, D.C on April 26-27.
Gary Buffo, NLA President
“The tragic and horrific acts committed in Kalamazoo are the latest in a string of incidents involving ride-hailing service drivers, many of which could have been avoided or averted with due diligence and basic communications protocols,” said Scott Solombrino, NLA co-founder. “Without suitably comprehensive background checks to prevent unfit drivers from getting behind the wheel or reliable early-warning standards and practices to monitor, respond, and react to potentially dangerous driver situations, these services are putting passengers, drivers, and the general public at risk. As the survey results illustrate, the public overwhelmingly believes that car service users should have access to a live customer service operator, which ride-hailing application services, such as Uber and Lyft, do not provide. This lack of real-time communications with these service providers is putting the lives of millions in our communities at risk, including drivers, passengers, and the general public.”
Scott Solombrino, NLA Co-Founder
The NLA plans to meet with legislators and decision makers in Washington next month in order to raise awareness and garner support for the universal safety, privacy and accountability standards so profoundly needed in the industry.
“The NLA and its members understand and champion customer service as a cornerstone of our business, and value personal contact and relationships, both with drivers and passengers, as one of the most critical aspects of their responsibility as transportation providers,” adds Gary Buffo, NLA president. “The ability to identify, address and rectify customer, employee and safety issues, in order to offer exemplary service, is the mission of our members and their organizations, and a mission that we feel is glaringly absent from the agenda of ride-hailing services, which all too often leads to disastrous consequences. We urge our legislative leaders to consider improved accountability and uniformity for background checks and access to live customer service operators, for all related personnel, to maximize safety for consumers, employees and others on the highways and roads.”
In other news, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently called for fingerprint scans and background checks for drivers of TNCs and limousine services in Los Angeles following the arrest of an Uber driver for the alleged rape of a passenger.
"In little more than three weeks, two Uber drivers have been charged with heinous and severely violent crimes, resulting in six deaths, two counts of assault with intent to commit murder, eight firearms violations, and rape,” said Buffo. “Deeply committed to the safety of our streets and our citizens, the NLA supports Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, L.A. Council President Herb Wesson, and Councilman Paul Krekorian's call for fingerprint scans and background checks for drivers of all private ground transportation, both prearranged services and ride-hailing apps. We insist that all drivers and operators assume the same level of accountability."
The NLA is encouraging TNC companies to follow suit, as the adoption of regulations such as these set a vital precedent for ride-hailing services and the “sharing economy” as a whole.
"The growing push for fingerprint scans and background checks by legislators and law enforcement officials across the nation reflects our goal of effecting universal standards and best practices for car service drivers and operators through the Ride Responsibly initiative," said Buffo. "We must do all that we can to prevent crimes like these from becoming regular occurrences."
Visit limo.org for more information.
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