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Washington, D.C. — The National Limousine Association (NLA) headed to Washington, D.C., June 5-6 for its annual lobbying event, Day on the Hill, with a strategically intimate group of operators and vendors in tow. CD’s Publisher Chris Weiss and Editor Madeleine Maccar were among those who came from all across the country to meet with legislators and their staff to act as one voice speaking of the industry’s concerns.
The two-day event kicked off with an afternoon of education before attendees took to the Capitol June 6. Louie Perry and Todd Webster from Cornerstone Government Affairs, NLA’s longtime lobbying firm, provided government updates to contextualize the environment in which operators and vendors alike would be presenting their asks to legislators and their staff, especially in terms of how a deregulatory atmosphere has been punctuating the past year—as well as how Uber’s disappointing public performance continues to work in our industry’s favor, as it has highlighted the numerous shortcomings of the TNC business model and its complete lack of profitability.
L to R: NLA President Gary Buffo of Pure Luxury Transportation, CD Publisher Chris Weiss, Louie Perry of Cornerstone Government Affairs, and CD Editor Madeleine Maccar
“Uber’s low IPO has generated tons of negative press for them,” Perry explained during his portion of the presentation. “Uber going public has highlighted a lot of the Uber and Lyft challenges we’ve been talking about for years: the fact that they are not profitable, they misclassify and underpay their workers, and the fact that there are real concerns for the safety of their riders. I haven’t seen much positive press about them as a business since they went public, and that press helps reinforce the concerns NLA has been raising with legislators.”
TNCs remained at the forefront of this year’s top two issues as the NLA implored congressional representatives to both stand with the American worker and support transportation safety measures.
Operators met with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) on June 5
Both the Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board have made rulings that can be viewed to legitimize the arguments that TNC drivers are independent contractors (ICs) rather than employees. The NLA takes issue with these rulings, especially since TNCs classifying their drivers as ICs denies those workers the stability and protection granted to employees. The association took a page from the California Supreme Court’s book to make its case, citing the state’s three-part test it adopted in April 2018 to determine the proper classification of an IC. Specifically, the case created a three-part test that must be met to qualify as an IC: drivers are free from the control and direction of their hirer in regard to the work they perform, perform work outside the usual course of their hiring entity’s business, and are customarily engaged in an independently established trade or business of the same nature as their hirer. None of those three criteria can be met, proving that TNC drivers are, indeed, employees. This reinforces the NLA’s longtime request for policy that creates a level playing field: Continued misclassification of drivers as ICs continues to create a competitive advantage for the TNC companies, allowing them to sidestep the expenses that traditional transportation companies pay to ensure they remain in regulatory compliance on all fronts.
Of course, the riding public’s safety is always the NLA’s top concern, and industry advocates continued to pound the drum of how lax TNCs’ background checks are, as illustrated by the horrifying number of unsafe drivers and criminal activity TNCs invite. They were armed with CNN-provided facts that ranged from how at least 103 Uber drivers have been accused of sexually assaulting passengers in just four years to how easily a former Somali military commander and alleged war criminal was able to get on the platform—and has been accepting passengers in the Northern Virginia market for the past year and a half.
L to R: Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), NLA Treasurer Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide, and NLA President Gary Buffo of Pure Luxury Transportation
Attendees took their messages, talking points, articles, and personal experiences to dozens of meetings with legislative representatives from both parties, including Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), who personally met with NLA President Gary Buffo of Pure Luxury Transportation and NLA Treasurer Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide to discuss his role in crafting Sami’s Law in honor of the University of South Carolina senior who was allegedly murdered by a man impersonating a TNC driver. The proposed legislation would require additional safety measures to improve TNC vehicle identification, including mandatory front and rear license plates, a QR code on passenger windows, and illuminated windshield signs visible in the day and at night from a distance of 50 feet.
We’ll have in-depth and expanded coverage of this year’s NLA Day on the Hill in the July issue of Chauffeur Driven.
Visit limo.org for more information.
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The alliance’s New York delegation met with Congressman Adriano Espaillat's office during the annual fly-in days Washington, D.C. — The Transportation Alliance (formerly known as the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association) wrapped up its annual legislative fly-in on June 5, with transportation executives from around the country holding more than 50 policy briefings with members of Congress in an effort to begin a national dialogue on critical issues facing the for-hire transportation industry. The alliance’s two main priorities included:
1. Protecting non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT). Each year, approximately 3.6 million Americans in urban and rural communities miss or delay receiving essential, non-emergency medical care due to transportation barriers. Provided through Medicaid, NEMT is a critical service for people who have no means of transportation to and from their medical appointments. NEMT is believed to save Medicaid $480M annually for every 30,000 recipients. The Transportation Alliance is urging Congress to pass legislation ensuring NEMT services remain protected.
2. Defending passenger safety for federally funded travel. More than 80 programs across the federal government are authorized to fund transportation services for individuals with disabilities, older adults, persons with lower incomes, and federal workers themselves in the performance of their jobs. The alliance is urging Congress to pass legislation requiring that drivers paid for with federal funds pass an FBI fingerprint-based background check and drug and alcohol screen.
Alliance members—including Past President Dwight Kines (right)—visited with elected officials June 5
“The Transportation Alliance knows the importance of passenger safety and NEMT, and we’re on Capitol Hill to make sure the voices of our members across the country are heard,” said alliance President Terry O’Toole of Transdev on Demand. “Good policy protects lives, and no one knows those best practices more than our members.”
Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA) spoke to fly-in attendees and delivered an impassioned speech about the need to protect NEMT services, praising the association “for not being stumbling blocks, but for being a stepping stone for our vulnerable populations … people who need so very desperately the help that you provide.”
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) also spoke to the group about technology, including the need for a national policy framework for autonomous vehicles. She also called out the need to accelerate America’s technological advances, particularly in terms of electric vehicles.
“Other countries are investing in it, and we are lagging. I think it’s becoming a national security issue in how we’re beginning to lag in innovation and technology,” Dingell said at a breakfast briefing for members.
The Transportation Alliance’s next event will be its 101st Annual Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas this October 16 to 19.
Visit tlpa.org for more information.
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RMA Worldwide CEO Robert AlexanderRockville, Md. — RMA Worldwide recently announced its successful acquisition of Kane International Limousine, forming the one of the largest private transportation fleets in the greater Washington region, and one of the most extensive chauffeured transportation operations in the United States. RMA Worldwide acquired International Limousine’s assets, employees, and customer contracts as of May 10, 2019. The business will operate under the RMA Worldwide brand.
Founded in 1988 with one sedan, RMA Worldwide has grown to become the region’s leading transportation providers and has been recognized for exceptional client service, including awards from Bethesda Magazine and industry trade magazines. Today, RMA Worldwide provides chauffeured transportation for Fortune 500 executives, as well as individuals working in finance, media, entertainment, sports, university athletics, and destination management companies. RMA’s extensive fleet includes new executive sedans, SUVs, deluxe touring vans, and more than 100 late model mini- and motorcoach buses that service its more than 30 charter and shuttle contracts with colleges/universities, private schools, municipalities, and building owners.
“The combination of RMA and International Limousine Service creates a strong transportation option for businesses, associations, and individuals in the Greater Baltimore-Washington region,” said RMA Worldwide CEO Robert Alexander. “In combination, we can provide a premium quality service for every client’s transportation needs—whether it’s operating shuttles, providing executive transportation, or motorcoaches.”
International Limousine Service grew from five vehicles in 1980 to more than 120 today, also providing executive sedan, limousine, bus, and shuttle services.
“The strategic merging of our two companies creates an incredibly strong portfolio, said International Limousine Service CEO Richard Kane. “It means that our clients will benefit from a more diverse product offering and high-levels of customer service, something which is being lost with the ride sharing model.”
The combined business will serve more than 6,000 clients and transport nearly 12,000,000 passengers in more than 400 vehicles each year. The privately held company will employ more than 550 people in the region and will operate facilities in Baltimore, North Bethesda, Washington, DC, and will soon open additional facilities in Richmond, Va. RMA projects more than $65M in revenue this year and will continue to provide customers with worldwide service through its affiliate network in 600 cities around the globe.
“The market for chauffeured transportation has grown tremendously over the last few years,” added Alexander. “We realized that with the expanded market there is an incredible opportunity for a provider who is focused on service quality and safety. We want to be the first choice for chauffeured services, whether it’s running shuttles between campuses or driving executives to the airport. We can now deploy vehicles more quickly, provide more transportation choices, and do it with white glove service.”
Visit rmalimo.com for more information.
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