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Limousine, Bus and Taxi Operators of Upstate New York (LBTOUNY) President Kevin Barwell of Giorgio’s Limousine Service says that in a market where the limousine is still more hotly in demand than the sedans, SUVs, executive vans, and coaches that enjoy increasing popularity, this law could very well be a death knell for numerous operators—and a headache for customers who have already booked their special-event transportation.
“I’ve had operators calling me and saying, ‘What are we going to do? I’m going to be out of business.’ And as LBTOUNY president, I have to look out for them. These companies are basically looking at going bankrupt: You can’t sell these vehicles in the state that banned them, so you hope someone elsewhere buys them—and then you have the financial cost of switching your whole fleet over. But people are not going to rent a limobus for five people on a wine tour, especially when they wanted to arrive in a limousine.” he said. “What do we tell brides who have had vehicles booked for months: ‘Sorry, we have to cancel your wedding transportation.’”
According to Barwell, the region is already besieged by regulatory and financial hurdles that have presented mounting challenges to his and his local peers’ businesses, and has been for the past few years. LBTOUNY and upstate operators have been not only shouldering a state tax that “transportation gets double-taxed for” but also facing an up-and-down TNC scene that once included a ban on the likes of Uber and Lyft. Barwell believes this latest development could be what finally drives some long-suffering operators to shutter their companies.
And he believes that a ban “regulating upstate New York like it’s the major metropolitan area that New York City is” could have potentially fatal consequences, too.
“In the upstate area, you still have a lot of companies that are limousine based. They have a lot of limousines, stretch limousines, and stretch SUVs that might now be taken off the road. So companies either have to start using buses—or people going on wine tours will start driving themselves, so we’ll see more drunk drivers,” Barwell said. “The real problem is that the governor is treating upstate New York like New York City instead of focusing on the increased problems we’ll have as the result of a limousine ban. They’re two completely different things: Here, you still have companies whose entire fleets are nothing but limousines—unlike the sedans and SUVs of New York City.”
The suggested ban is a reaction to the October 2018 crash in New York, where a vehicle that has been revealed to be non-road-worthy malfunctioned in a tragedy that claimed 20 lives. Barwell and LBTOUNY, much like most of the nationwide industry, feel that a ban targeting stretched vehicles misses the point—especially when it punishes legally operating companies that strive for compliance, rather than the fly-by-night companies running old, unsafe vehicles that have failed Department of Transportation (DOT) inspection.
“For me, it doesn’t make sense to ban stretched vehicles when the real problem is someone skirting the already-strict regulations that are in place to protect not only our passengers but also operators,” he said. “We have enough regulations, and most of us know that there’s no benefit to going around them. The rules we have in place are fine—but what do you do when someone peels off their ‘Out of Service’ sticker?”
The association has been and will continue to be vocal opponents of the proposed ban. Barwell says that LBTOUNY director David Bastian of Towne Livery has already started advocating for LBTOUNY and New York operators, and that he himself is ensuring that the association keeps this issue at the forefront of local politics.
Part of the problem, Barwell says, is that new proposals that would result in sweeping changes to an industry rarely include the perspectives and practical concerns of those who understand it best—and stand to be affected the most.
“They won’t include anyone from the industry in these conversations,” he said. “My phone hasn’t rung, and it’s like—why aren’t you talking to the people who are most knowledgeable in what needs to change to come up with a real solution? This is like going to pizzerias and telling them they can’t have pizza ovens anymore. They need to talk to an upstate operator face-to-face to understand the consequences. Otherwise, we have to fight this and move forward with defending ourselves.”
Anyone who wishes to make their voice heard as an industry peer or as an affiliate should reach out to the office of Governor Andrew Cuomo to express their concerns as a livery expert.
Visit lbtony.com for more information.
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Serafin founded Flyte Tyme in 1979, and was part of the company until his retirement in 2008. In addition to being a devoted member and active advocate for the Limousine Association of New Jersey, Serafin was one of the founding members of the National Limousine Association, and remained a committed member until his passing.
Serafin was father to four daughters, three of whom followed his footsteps in the luxury ground transportation industry. His familial ties to the industry spread further when his daughter Michelle married David Seelinger of EmpireCLS in 2002. The following year, Serafin became the father-in-law to industry veteran Tim Rose, whom his daughter Doreen married in 2003.
With the family involved with two of the largest and most successful companies in the industry with EmpireCLS and Flyte Tyme Worldwide Transportation, Seelinger and Rose acknowledged that Serafin created a limo family dynasty and was a true father figure.
Serafin is survived by his wife Teresa, four daughters, 21 grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.
Despite close affiliation with luxury cars thanks to his long tenure in the industry, Serafin loved to be on his boat on the water, and was a member of the Coast Guard auxiliaries in New York and Florida.
The Chauffeur Driven team would like to extend their condolences to Serafin’s family and friends.
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With more than 1000 vehicles already traveling the roads of North America, TEMSA is among the largest and fastest-growing manufacturers of coach buses operating in the United States and Canada today. As part of the company’s strategic vision, TEMSA is intensifying its focus on the North American market.
To support its growth plan and its growing North American customer base, TEMSA opened a national service center in Orlando, Fla., and in the first quarter alone, will open dedicated service centers in New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, and California. TEMSA North America’s field service technicians and mobile service vans are positioned and poised to provide service across all five regions in North America. TEMSA’s partner network will rapidly expand over the course of the year, with more than a dozen third party service and warranty locations planned to open by the end of 2019.
“As a global manufacturer, it’s critical that every customer has a truly excellent experience when working with the TEMSA brand, regardless of where they are in the world,” said CEO Hasan Yıldırım. “By establishing a more direct relationship with our North American operators, we’re setting a customer-centric foundation for major growth in the years ahead.”
In addition to product quality and a clear focus on the customer, TEMSA is known in the commercial vehicle market for a steady stream of innovation and for its strides to support smart city initiatives. TEMSA represents one of the few automotive manufacturers offering alternative models of electric coaches, with two vehicles ready for serial production and plans an autonomous bus for 2022.
“Our focus on the changing needs of bus operators and passengers is making TEMSA one of the most sought-after transportation brands in the world,” noted Yıldırım. “We look forward to building upon our tradition of product excellence to capture the increasing demand for both coach buses and for TEMSA’s transit buses, which will help us serve even greater numbers of customers across America.”
Visit temsa.com for more information.
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