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Group Manager Daniel Ramos accepts the 2018 Small Business Achievement Award on behalf of GO Puerto Rico Shuttles on April 17 at an event in Washington, D.C.
Chicago — GO Puerto Rico Shuttles, a member of The GO Group network of ground transportation providers, was one of 16 companies selected by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to receive the 2018 Small Business Achievement Award for its “remarkable work in providing FEMA with services during last year’s hurricanes.” The company received its award at a ceremony held in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, April 17, 2018.
A few days after Hurricane Maria hit, FEMA was seeking a company to provide transportation for their first responders, which was difficult due to power outages, damaged and inaccessible roads, and lack of cell signals. GO Puerto Rico was able to find a signal and immediately responded. The company provided transportation for four months under extreme conditions.
FEMA was impressed by the company’s ability to create logistics for 1000 passengers while roads were blocked, no cell phones to communicate with drivers, and a fuel shortage.
According to a statement provided by DHS, “Owner/operator Mr. Jose Torres continued to offer solutions to lessen costs while meeting, or exceeding, all mission requirements—a truly effective business concern that rose above the post-disaster conflict and delivered sterling performance in aiding the effort to help disaster survivors.”
“The hurricanes left unimaginable devastation. We knew we had the right vehicles, logistical capabilities, and experience to transport help where we could,” says Torres.
“We are extremely proud of owner Jose Torres and his crew for their amazing work under such difficult conditions,” says John McCarthy, president, The GO Group. “We congratulate Jose and his entire team.”
Visit GoAirportShuttle.com for more information.
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Grace President & CEO Mike Campbell (left) and New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu
Manchester, N.H. — When you have exacting standards like Grace Limousine, it can be hard to find top-notch chauffeurs who are up to the task. So when Grace President & CEO Mike Campbell learned that New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu had long been interested chauffeuring, he jumped at the chance to hire him . . . for the day, at least!
Governor Sununu started his single day behind the wheel was a fun way to introduce him to the luxury ground transportation industry. He began his day undergoing driver training with Grace’s Chauffeur Manager Jen Goulet. Fortunately, he was quick learner, as he then drove Campbell and Elliot Health System President & CEO Doug Dean Café in Grace’s iconic Tesla sedan to a business meeting at the Purple Finch.
Governor Chris Sununu chauffeurs Grace Limousine’s Mike Campbell
“In today’s employment economy, finding qualified, professional chauffeurs is one of our greatest challenges as a business,” Campbell says. “Imagine my delight when Governor Sununu arrived on-site for his training! In all seriousness, our time with Governor Sununu as our celebrity driver-for-a-day was the experience of a lifetime! I thoroughly enjoyed our time together, in which we shared a stimulating conversation not just about our industry, but also about the state and the country at large. I’d also like to extend a special thank you to Doug Dean, CEO of Elliot Health System, for being a very brave passenger as the Governor completed his first run.”
Campbell and Grace were honored to have Governor Sununu’s on staff.
Visit gracelimo.com for more information.
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MCI all-electric J400e coach prototype
Des Plaines, Ill. — Motor Coach Industries (MCI), the US subsidiary of New Flyer Industries, announced that its all-electric J4500e prototype—a battery-electric version of J4500 coach—successfully completed its phase one testing. MCI said that the coach ran flawlessly at both low and high speeds up to a sustained 70 mph (113 km/h) on the highway. The all-electric J4500e coach is on schedule for January 2020 production and orders are being taken now.
The electric architecture incorporated in the MCI J4500e features a high-torque 2130 lb-ft (2888 N·m) Siemens electric drive system and a 450 kWh Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Li-ion battery pack with high power plug-in battery charging to 100% in less than three hours. MCI will also apply the battery-electric platform to the D45 CRT LE Commuter Coach followed by the electric 35-foot MCI J giving operators the most comprehensive choices in purpose-built, all-electric coaches.
“We’re enormously pleased by these early test results—our all-electric J4500e delivered smooth power across varied roadways and impressive results in acceleration, handling and ride quality,” said JP Pelletier, Vice President of MCI Engineering. “MCI has covered electric territory before with hybrid diesel-electric coaches built in early 2000s that are still in service, but with the all-electric platform, we’re benefitting from New Flyer’s long time, battery-electric low-floor transit expertise.”
MCI President Ian Smart said that customers will have a range of charging options: standard depot charging, on-route systems or a multi-charge design.
MCI will now move its all-electric J4500 test to Northern California, where public and private operators are eyeing all-electric expansion for their key customers. Major Silicon Valley technology employers are expanding their own private coach shuttle systems attractive to millennial workforces. Success in this market requires a deep understanding of how employer operators will be using these coaches.
Visit mcicoach.com for more information.
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