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Moscow — Z Brothers Chauffeur Service was honored with Best Premium and Business Class Chauffeur Service in Russia and CIS at the Buying Business Travel (BBT) Awards on December 6 at the Hyatt Regency Moscow Petrovsky Park. The BBT Awards are founded and organized by Buying Business Travel Russia, an online publication for corporate customers of business tourism and MICE services.
Founded in 2013 by Evgeny and Anton Zhukov, Z Brothers is one of the fastest growing luxury ground transportation companies in Russia. The BBT Award is the operation’s first major honor.
“This award shows that we are following the right path right now. It opens new roads and opportunities for our company development. I think the most important things are the desire to be the best and thinking in a big-picture terms. When my brother and I were kids, we dreamed of our own business; we didn't have any other thoughts. This award will leads us to work harder and to show that this success was not just an accident,” says Z Brothers CEO Evgeny Zhukov.
The BBT winners were selected in two stages: The first stage consisted of a closed online voting process, which determined the short list of BBT Awards 2019; during the second stage, the members of the expert commission met face-to-face to discuss the achievements of the participants. As before, the names of the 23 judges on the panel, business travel agency professionals, who were tasked with selecting the winners, were revealed only during the award ceremony.
There was a total of 63 participants vying in the Business Travel category, not counting the 10 travel managers.
“We are happy to see a full room again today, the entire business travel industry elite—top agency officials, the largest corporate customers and suppliers. I saw many smiling faces. Some of the guests said that they were impressed with our coming up with new formats, not repeating ourselves, coming up with new categories, and showing new heroes to the market. The Award is developing, and expect new surprises again next year,” said BBT Publisher Elizaveta Panfilova.
Visit z-brothers.com for more information.
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Charlotte, N.C. — Motor Coach Industries (MCI) helps to launch the charter coach division of A Step Above Limousine and its sister company Ambassador Global in Atlanta with the delivery of four luxury MCI J4500 coaches.
The three new and one pre-owned MCI J4500 coaches will allow the company’s clients to enjoy the luxyrt motor coach experience MCI offers its limousine and tour and charter companies throughout North America.
These Livery Edition MCI J4500 coaches are sleek and elegant in resplendent black on the outside and a complete luxury experience on the inside with detailed black leather diamond-stitched seating, the best legroom in its coach class, power outlets, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The models also feature such options as programmable multicolor interior lighting and collision mitigation and back-up cameras.
Ayman Abusamak, founder and owner of both companies, looked at other coach brands and said he was attracted to the MCI J4500 for its modern design and quality craftsmanship along with the professionalism of the MCI teams in service and support.
“Friends in the industry also suggested MCI to me,” said Abusamak, whose 30-plus fleet of vehicles also includes minibuses. “The move to motor coaches is a natural progression for us as top clients are seeking this type of transportation from us.”
Abusamak’s company just signed a contract with Charter UP, an Atlanta-based charter bus service reservation platform that connects customers and groups in need of ground transportation. Other major events in 2020 will keep his divisions on the move. The 2020 NCAA Final Four is coming to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta starting April 4, and the 2020 Republican National Convention in Charlotte runs August 24-27.
“The Livery Edition MCI J4500 class of coaches are real differentiators in both our markets,” said Abusamak.
A Step Above Limousine opened in Charlotte 20 years ago and expanded into Atlanta five years later. Clients in both cities are assured a high level of personal service and well-trained drivers. All drivers receive ongoing training in safe driving practices with required participation in TRAX safety workshops and online courses offered through the MCI Academy. And Abusamak’s company uses the Samsara suite of fleet-tracking technology, including onboard dash cameras, electronic logging devices, telematics, and GPS to track coaches in real time, reduce paperwork, and gain valuable data on driver and fleet performance.
Each driver dresses in a coat and tie for the job. “We’re still a limousine company,” said Abusamak. “And very pleased to be able to bring this new level of service to the areas we serve.”
Visit astepabovelimo.com or mcicoach.com for more information.
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Marlton, N.J. — Chauffeur Driven is pleased to announce that industry veteran Britt Kirk has joined our team as Events Coordinator. Formerly of All-Points Transportation in Millbury, Mass, Britt is a familiar face to the industry, and will bring her unique perspective as an operator to her position with CD.
As events coordinator, Britt will work side-by-side with Director of Events Jess Pavlow in the planning of all of the CD/NLA shows and events as well as the annual Executive Retreat. For the past year, she has been active at shows and association meetings representing CD as a brand ambassador, and has learned the ropes, making site visits alongside Pavlow and CD President & Publisher Chris Weiss.
Undoubtedly, the logistics and service skills she honed as operations manager with All-Points, not to mention her unique perspective as an operator, will come into play to deliver a tremendous show experience for our attendees, whether it’s regarding the accommodations , the networking, or education.
“I am beyond excited to join the Chauffeur Driven events team,” says Britt. “I have always loved attending the CD shows, with education that never disappoints, their packed show floors, and so much more. I know firsthand how much this industry changes, it’s one of the reasons I love it so much. I have been working with the shows for years, and now I get to be a part of creating the events that everyone loves.”
Pavlow couldn’t be happier to have an industry insider working closely with her in the planning of CD/NLA events for 2020, including the first CD/NLA Show in Las Vegas on February 23-26, Spring’s Executive Retreat in Nashville, and the fall CD/NLA Show in Orlando.
“Over the few years, Britt has assisted with so many aspects of our shows, from setting up our Charity Event to rolling up her sleeves and clearing out the show floor—solely out of the kindness of her heart and her love of the industry. I’m beyond excited to have Britt officially on the team,” says Pavlow.
Similarly, Weiss is enthusiastic about having an operator point of view on the team.
“We are so excited to have Britt join the CD team full time. She makes a great addition to our already awesome team, and really complements Jess perfectly. Britt has been with us for a while now as a Brand Ambassador—and she’s done a terrific job—so it’s really beneficial to be able to significantly expand her role here at CD. Her customer service mindset and industry experience, as well as her creativity and drive, will really be an asset to us.”
Visit chauffeurdriven.com for more information.
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