- Details
- Category: Industry News
The Transportation Alliance President Terry O’Toole
Rockville, Md. — The Transportation Alliance, formerly the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA), has announced the best membership deal in its history, marking the completion of the 102-year-old trade group’s rebranding.
Through September 15, 2019, anyone who is not a current transportation company member will receive a one-time special offer, paying just 50 percent of annual dues through the end of 2020. This promotion will cover the rest of 2019 and all of 2020—almost a year and a half in total at just half the cost of an annual membership.
Membership includes daily and bimonthly e-newsletters discussing the latest transportation news, as well as a subscription to our flagship quarterly magazine Transportation Leader. Steep discounts to all of our events—including Mobilize 2019, this year’s annual convention and expo—and opportunities to network with top CEOs and business owners in our industry are top features of membership. Members can also enjoy access to an exclusive, members-only social media portal where fleet executives can crowd-source questions, seek advice, and connect with fellow operators from across the globe.
The Transportation Alliance is undergoing exciting changes this year, including the following:
• New name: The switch to The Transportation Alliance better reflects the evolving transportation industry.
• New convention structure: Our action-packed Mobilize 2019 Annual Convention & Expo, happening October 16-19 at Bally’s in Las Vegas, will feature interactive Learning Labs and speakers to lead discussions, including a keynote address by transportation industry titan Mark Joseph, former CEO of Transdev North America.
• News discounts: Members can receive exclusive discounts on everything from auto parts to office supplies.
• New educational videos: The Transportation Alliance will soon offer a suite of tools and videos for fleets to onboard and retain their drivers.
Interested parties can choose from three different levels of membership service at thetransportationalliance.org/Join-Us.
Visit thetransportationalliance.org for more information.
[CD0819]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Nearly 40 members and supporters of the MCTA attended the association’s recent golf tournament
Oakdale, Minn. — Almost 40 Minnesota Chauffeured Transportation Association (MCTA) members and friends gathered at the Oak Marsh Golf Course August 4 for the association’s golf tournament.
This was the first golf event that the MCTA has held in several years, as President Gus Ortis of Executive Transportation was eager to find new ways to bring revenue in and members together.
![](/images/industry/2019/0819-cd-mcta-pass-winner.jpg)
In addition to enjoying warm, sunny weather and even warmer, sunnier company, members and their companies generously sponsored everything from lunch and happy hour to holes and carts. Event host sponsors included Nationwide Bus Sales, Midwest Transit Equipment, Berkshire Coach, and Trans/Air. Chauffeur Driven also pitched in as prize sponsor with a donated pass to the October 13-16 Boston Show, which was won by MCTA Secretary/Treasurer Chad Peterson of Renee's Limousines.
The golf scramble tournament resulted in a tie between two of the foursomes—one led by Andrew Stauff of M&E Catalyst Group and the other led by Michael Donovan of Search Engines MD—both of which shot a 60. After several tie-breaker rounds, Search Engines MD was determined to be the winning team. Additional contests included closest to the pin (which Donovan also won) and longest drive (won by Preston Fischer).
Next up for the MCTA is its fall quarterly meeting, which the association anticipates will be in late October or early November.
Visit mnlimo.org for more information.
[CD0819]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
NLA President Gary Buffo of Pure Luxury Transportation
GCLA President Mo Garkani of Continental Limousine & Transportation
New York — The National Limousine Association (NLA) and the Greater California Livery Association (GCLA) urge Governor Gavin Newsom of California to appropriately reclassify drivers in the ride-hailing industry as employees, acknowledging that they are not independent contractors, through the signing of Assembly Bill 5.
In an open letter below, on behalf of the membership and Board of the NLA and the GCLA, both organizations implore Governor Newsom to support drivers deserving of employee status:
Dear Governor Newsom,
Founded in 1985, The National Limousine Association (NLA) is an organization comprised of ground transportation providers on a global scale, committed to protecting the integrity of our industry. Similarly, the Greater California Livery Association (GCLA) is a statewide 501-c6 non-profit organization comprised of duly licensed member passenger ground transportation companies throughout the state of California. Together, we advocate for the private ground transportation industry by linking its leading professionals, from owners and operators to suppliers and manufacturers, to create a unified voice that ushers the industry upward.
Assembly Bill 5, authored by California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, mandates that businesses prove the independent contractor status of a hire by passing the "ABC Test." At a glance, it appears unlikely that Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing organizations of the like would currently be able to pass the ABC Test, as the drivers do not meet the second qualification to permit independent contractor status: "The work that the repossession agency performs shall be outside the usual course of the hiring person or entity's business." Both a ride-hailing app entity and the driver are engaged in providing ground transportation services. An entity that provides a ride-hailing app is engaged in providing passenger transportation, not software – this is true just as it is true that a retailer that sells products online is still a retailer, not a software developer. Uber and Lyft have stated that they would prefer to continue classifying their drivers as independent contractors which would deprive drivers of overtime pay. Yet, taxi and private car services now widely provide ride-hailing apps that are indistinguishable in function from ride-hailing app entities like Uber and Lyft, and many continue to pay drivers as employees.
The implementation of new technology should not justify immunity from the laws and regulations that have been put into place to protect employee and labor rights. The drivers of these ride-hailing apps operate in a manner that – with very few exceptions – mirrors taxi and private "black car" services and interact with a large cross section of your populous in California. Therefore, it is only fair that the playing field be leveled, such that all operators and service providers within the industry are required to treat drivers equally without legislative exemption. Deciding not to move forward with Assembly Bill 5 would set a dangerous precedent for not only those in the private transportation business, but in other sectors of industry who will follow suit, misclassifying their employees as independent contractors.
We have been long committed to upholding best practices for all companies that employ drivers for private transportation. As our industry continues to evolve, it is critical that state and local governments enforce proactive legislation. Our organizations go to great lengths to ensure that our drivers receive the proper care, pay and benefits they deserve for their hard work. It is our belief that all ground transportation providers, including ride-hailing services, must perform under the same basic guidelines.
The NLA and GCLA will continue to stand by its operators' drivers and rightly views drivers as an essential component of our businesses and our communities. We respectfully ask that you move forward with Assembly Bill 5 and put into law what is just.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration,
Gary Buffo
Founder and President, Pure Luxury Transportation, Inc.
President, The National Limousine Association
Commissioner, Visit California
Secretary, California Travel Association
Board Member, San Francisco Travel
Board Member, Visit Napa Valley
Finance and Legal Committee, Sonoma County Tourism
Mo Garkani
Owner, Continental Limousine & Transportation
President, The Greater California Livery Association
Visit limo.org for more information about the NLA and gcla.org for more information about the GCLA.
[CD0819]