BY SUSAN ROSE
The My Limousine Service team at their headquarters in Budd Lake, N.J. It’s fair to say that My Limousine Service President Mike Rose knows a thing or two about climbing ladders. Whether it’s been ascending through the chauffeured ground transportation industry or literally deftly scaling a ladder as captain of his local volunteer fire department, Rose has a history of moving to the next level. “I started in the industry as part of a family business, Garden State Limousine, which was owned by a brother, by washing cars and doing basic maintenance. Then I went to college and continued to work part time. It eventually turned into a full-time position, and I went up the ranks, eventually becoming general manager before I left in 1996,” says Rose.
Having had his fill of the industry—for the time being—Rose became a police dispatcher, the beginning of a long involvement in public service.
“I started at a local police department, but then moved to the state police, where I worked at a regional dispatch center, handling 9-1-1 calls and dispatch for state troopers in N.J.,” says Rose. “Eventually that led to me going back to a local municipality, where I held the role of township communications manager. I was overseeing the dispatch, computer systems, phone systems, and all the technology for the municipality.”
After a decade of municipal work, Rose says he was “drafted” back into the industry by his brother Tim, then CEO with Flyte Tyme.
My Limousine Service President Mike Rose is captain of his local fire department “Tim brought me back into the business, and I was with Flyte Tyme for many years until it was sold to Addison Lee. I left there in 2019, and went to EmpireCLS until the pandemic came along,” says Rose. While it seemed the industry—and the whole world—was on hold, Rose managed to meet with Howard Gogel, the esteemed owner of My Limousine Service.
“Howard offered me the chance to come here in June 2020 amid COVID. He had a great business with 120 cars, and a diverse fleet and book of business. I thought it presented me with a real opportunity. He allowed me to come in and rebuild the business, whether that meant adding personnel or new technology. We basically retooled the company from the ground up, including going to a new SantaCruz platform, adding Samsara for GPS and ELDs, updating our email system, and moving the office to a new building. There was lots of change; it’s been a busy few years,” says Rose.
Despite entering My Limousine Service as general manager, Rose again climbed that proverbial ladder, becoming president and partner of the respected 40-year-old company in 2023.
“My Limousine Service actually started as Gogel Tire and Auto Repair in East Hanover, N.J., in 1969,” shares Rose. “In the early 1980s, they decided to start a rent-a-car business, which was Gogel Auto Rental. Shortly thereafter, in 1983, they launched My Limousine Service because there was a lot of synergy between the businesses.”
In the early days, Rose says a lot of the work was stretch limousines to and from the casinos, which later morphed into private passengers going to the airport and then corporate business.
Mike Rose (left) with My Limousine Service Vice President Jason Gogel “They had a great book of business and a great retail following that still includes customers who have been with us for the entire 40-plus years we’ve been in existence. Howard and Stewart Gogel were the two brothers that started these companies, with Howard being the one to really run the limousine side of the house. He grew the business over those 40 years into what we have today.” After trimming their fleet during the pandemic, My Limousine Service is back, with a fleet of 100 vehicles.
“We probably have the largest fleet of specialty vehicles in the N.J./N.Y. area. We have 25 14-passenger Ford Transit vans; we have 30 minibuses that seat 27 passengers; and we have nine motorcoaches. Everything else would fall into the sedan and SUV categories. But the bulk of our fleet is larger vehicles.”
When it comes to managing My Limousine Services’ 120 employees, Rose is a believer in building a warm, familial company culture.
“Everyone feels at home when they’re working,” he says. “We want it to be a fun environment, but we want it to be a business. Things have to be professional, but fun at the same time. The camaraderie in the office, the camaraderie among the chauffeurs, and the respect in the office are the essentials.”
What is unique about My Limousine Service is the legacy employees who have been there for many years. Nancy Coletti, who used to be involved in the car rental business, has moved to the limousine side and has been with the firm for four decades. Their head head detailer and maintenance guy Jorge Ramos has been there for 35 years, while Director of Sales & Marketing Bob Colucco has been there for 20 years. But the company loyalty transcends the back office.
“We have chauffeurs who have been here for 20-plus years,” says Rose. “Eugene O’Neil is one of our legacy chauffeurs who has been here for two decades. Ali Farge is another chauffeur who has been here for 20-plus years. We have a really devoted core group of staff that have been here for many years. And that’s really a testament to the previous leadership of the business as well as our current internal admin team that keeps the chauffeurs motivated and happy—and they want to work here, which is key.”
“We probably have the largest fleet of specialty vehicles in the N.J./N.Y. area. We have 25 14-passenger Ford Transit vans; we have 30 minibuses that seat 27 passengers; and we have nine motorcoaches.” – Mike Rose, President of My Limousine ServiceAs mentioned, public service is a passion for Rose, as evidenced by his 26 years as a volunteer firefighter.
“I’ve always been involved with public safety of some sort, whether it was dispatching or being part of the fire department. It feels good to give back to the community and be able to help others. Each call is different, each situation is different. There’s great alliance in being part of a fire department.”
Rose’s devotion to service includes his current position of president of the Chauffeured Transportation Association of New Jersey (CTANJ)—formerly Limousine Association of New Jersey (LANJ)—another case of him climbing that proverbial ladder,
“I had been involved with the LANJ Board for several years,” says Rose. “At the start of 2024, Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide was stepping down as president to devote more time elsewhere. The board discussed it, and Vice President Joe Gulino of Gem Worldwide, who was the heir apparent, couldn’t devote the time this year. He asked if I’d be interested, and I happily took over.”
As president of one of the larger and more prominent associations in the country with a couple hundred members, Rose spent his first year as president working on growing the ranks.
L to R: General Manager JoAnn Mosquera, Vice President Jason Gogel, President Mike Rose, Director of Sales and Marketing Bob Colucco, Senior Director of Charter and Group Services Shawn Corcoran, and Chauffeur Services Manager Angel Roman “We’ve really refocused our efforts on membership drives and looked at what we can do better to add value to the membership. We’re re-establishing some committees that we haven’t had in a few years. We worked on the renaming, so now we’re CTANJ to show everyone that we’re not just about limos anymore; we’re encompassing everything within the chauffeured ground transportation space. Our businesses have evolved. We’ve also started a webinar series and we’re going to add further education and content to our members,” he says. As if balancing his professional life with his public service role wasn’t enough to keep him busy, Rose is also an elected official, serving on the township committee in his hometown. Once people learn about his multi-tasking, he says they always ask the same question.
“People always ask ‘how do you find the time?’ It’s all about organization and time management. I start my day early; I’m in the office at 6 a.m. I get more done between 6 and 9 than I do all day. I plan out my tasks and know my goals for the day. That way, I can be effective and get things done. But it can be challenging to be part of so many things. You have to know what you can handle—and know when to say enough,” shares Rose.
Rose advises that operators stay organized by using electronic tools, such as the task lists available in Outlook and in my CRMs. He also recommends that people have realistic objectives for what you can and cannot get done.
“When it comes to managing My Limousine Services’ 120 employees, Rose is a believer in building a warm, familial company culture.” – Mike Rose“All too often, folks get inundated with paperwork. I’ve said often that once a paper hits your desk, you need to action it: file it away, throw it out, or come up with a game plan. It’s the same thing with email. I always say, it’s ‘death by email,’ so I’m kind of anal retentive about the way I keep my email system. I have folders set up in my system, and they’re cataloged. Again, it’s managing your time and your tasks,” says Rose.
The constant balancing act extends to his home life, where Rose finds the time for his family, which includes his wife Elisa—whom he met while working as a police dispatcher—and his children, Evan (17) and twins Ethan and Emily (11).
“Despite all of my other activities and involvement, I have found a way to successfully have a family life too,” says Rose.
As Rose enters 2025, he has big plans for both CTANJ and My Limousine Service. On the association side, a great deal of energy is going to be spent addressing the issue of unlicensed drivers.
“We also find that we’re dealing with a lot of unlicensed operators who are working out of their houses but providing the same services we do—but unregulated and underinsured, which is a huge problem. Social media allows folks from any walk of life with ANY business to advertise their wares free of charge and get a spotlight they’d never get before through traditional printed media. It is absolutely crazy.”
Regarding these unlicensed operators, CTANJ has had conversations with the Port Authority, and Rose is looking to speak to the New Jersey Attorney General’s AG office, the state police, and the dept of community affairs to address this matter.
“We need to get more visibility on this issue because it’s a big problem. The smaller operators—the one-to-five car operators, even up to 20—make a significant investment to get into this industry, and their business is being eroded by competitors that are unlicensed or uninsured. As an association, it’s our duty to do something about it.”
As for My Limousine Service, Rose says that, despite its size, the company is a “hidden little gem in North Jersey,” and he is looking to increase its profile in the new year.
“We’re always doing something new. Our focus for 2025 is sales growth. We’ve spent the last three years rebuilding and retooling so we have a platform to grow on. We have some aggressive targets and that’s what we plan to deliver,” says Rose. [CD0125]