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Statesville, N.C. — Coachbuilder L.A. West is the latest exhibitor to announce exclusivity to Chauffeur Driven and NLA coproduced trade shows and events. President Vern Kauffman says that the company has committed to floor space at the Boston CD show this October 13-16 at the Westin Boston Waterfront as well as the upcoming CD/NLA Show at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in February 2020.
A long-time bus industry fixture, Kauffman relaunched the L.A. West brand name in April 2018 after acquiring the inventory, equipment, engineering rights, and warranties from McSweeney Designs, and then moving to a 30,000-square-foot facility in N.C. Since then, the builder has been rolling Mercedes-Benz Sprinters and Ford Transit buses off their assembly line and into dealerships across the country.
The positive experience he had at the 2018 CD Show was influential in Kauffman’s decision to become an exclusive exhibitor.
“We had great results attending and exhibiting at the Chauffeur Driven Show in National Harbor, not only in terms of immediate sales activity but also in follow-up inquiries coming in six months to a year after the show‚” he says.
On the show floor in Boston, attendees will get the opportunity to experience L.A. West’s Sprinter and Transit product as well as meet representatives of the builder’s dealer network. Unlike many builders in the luxury ground transportation marketplace‚ L.A. West utilizes a dealer network that extends across all major markets in the United States.
“With the dealer network, we feel we have a better presence throughout the country than if we were selling direct‚” says Director of Operations Michelle Keck. “In Boston‚ we’re expecting to have six or eight authorized and approved L.A. West dealers present in our exhibit space to meet with operators.”
Kauffman is pleased to have the chance to expose the L.A. West brand to end-users at the coming CD/NLA events.
“The shows are a great platform to support our dealer network and create brand awareness by letting the operators see‚ touch‚ and experience our products while letting our dealers build relationships with clients and generate lead,” he says.
With new things in development at L.A. West in the coming year, Kauffman looks forward to sharing new products with the market at Vegas and beyond.
Visit lawestcoaches.com for more information.
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Marlton, N.J. — Keeping up with the latest technology is imperative for today’s ground transportation providers. Reservations, dispatch, fleet management, and office management are reliant on having up-to-the-minute software and equipment to keep their operations running smoothly. With that in mind, the 2019 Chauffeur Driven Show, held October 13-16 at the Westin Boston Waterfront, is THE place to be this fall for companies looking to stay on top of technology trends and innovations, and their effect on our industry.
We’re pleased to announce that three of the industry’s top tech providers—FASTTRAK Technologies, GroundWidgets, and Hudson Software—have partnered with CD and the National Limousine Association (NLA) as exclusive vendors and sponsors of CD/NLA events. Moreover, on Tuesday, October 15 at 10 a.m., these three tech titans will take part in our Center Stage Tech Panel along with some of the top names of the field. Joining FASTTRAK President/Founder Eddie McCoy, GroundWidgets Chairman & CEO Apurva Patel, and Hudson Software Vice President of Software Development Derek Skawinski are a who’s who in industry tech providers, including Limo Anywhere President Sean Arena and Livery Coach Solutions President David Hirsch. They will join CD Education Committee co-chair Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide for a moderated discussion that will cover a spectrum of tech-related topics, ranging from automation, apps, interconnectivity, analytics, and so much more.
“FASTTRAK Technologies is proud to pledge its exclusive support to the NLA and their choice of Chauffeur Driven to bring the finest in education to the industry via their co-produced events and programs,” says McCoy.
“The GroundWidgets team has long been an integral part of the limousine and chauffeured industry. Our support for the NLA is unwavering and we are committed to working with the NLA to provide best-in-class technology services and products to their members and our industry. We are thrilled to be supporting the NLA and Chauffeur Driven Show exclusively in the coming years as we believe that this is a strong partnership that will benefit the industry and the NLA membership,” says Patel.
"Hudson Software is proud to exclusively support Chauffeur Driven, the NLA, and their upcoming initiatives. We look forward to serving on the technology panel and sharing our vision with attendees, as our commitment to delivering transformative technology to this industry is as strong today, as it was 20 years ago when we first launched,” says Hudson Software Vice President of Operations Gustavo Gomez. “We thank the entire Chauffeur Driven/NLA team for including us in this opportunity to come together and discuss technology innovation that benefits all within this industry.”
Chauffeur Driven understands that choosing the right technology for your company can be a daunting prospect, in terms of both expense and ease of operation. At the end of the session, time will be allotted for our panel of experts to field questions from attendees that will not only help you make the best decision for your company, but to ensure a smooth transition.
“Livery Coach is pleased to be part of the tech panel in Boston this year. The more operators understand how technology can help their business, the stronger we all become,” offers Hirsch.
“I am thrilled to be participating in the upcoming Chauffeur Driven Tech Panel this October in Boston,” adds Limo Anywhere President Sean Arena. “With the rapid pace of change in technology, it is imperative that we focus our attention on the trends and opportunities that are shaping our industry, as well as the world around us.”
Further, panelists will offer insight on the future of the luxury ground transportation industry as it relates to technology. Whether it’s near-demand booking, autonomous cars, or global networking, the experts will share their vision as it relates to efficiency, safety, customer service, and the industry as a whole.
“Embracing real-time dispatch and mobile technology to provide travel analytics to all stakeholders is more important today than at any time in our industry’s history,” says McCoy.
With the show just a few weeks away, if you haven’t yet registered, now is the time. Our room block at the Westin is now sold out, but we’ve been able to secure rooms at the neighboring Aloft for the unbelievable rate of $227 a night. Spaces are filling up fast, so take advantage of this offer while it lasts. Once these rooms are gone, you aren’t likely to find a comparable room rate in the Waterfront area.
Visit chauffeurdrivenshow.com for more information.
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Charlotte, N.C. —The Peak Limousine family is pleased to announce its recent acquisition of Limo-Zen, which will help the Charlotte-based company expand its operational reach into a previously untapped North Carolina market in a resort mountain destination.
“The purchase of Limo-Zen will allow us to increase our Asheville footprint and expand into the Greenville, S.C., market,” said Peak Limousine President & CEO Shawn Glasgow.
The deal was closed September 9 after what Peak Limousine Vice President Faith described as a "quick and painless process" that benefited from all parties being on good terms.
“Since getting into the Asheville market in 2017, we’ve been looking at what else was out there, and Limo-Zen was a company that we had not only become friendly with, but also knew that they have some great accounts,” she explained. “They are good people who started their business in 2015, though it’s more of a hobby for them rather than the livelihood it is for us. Their books were clean and, while we still did our due diligence, there was enough of a trust factor that it made for an easy transition.”
The Glasgows describe their new venture into the Asheville, Greenville. Tryon market as a true destination in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains that, despite its clear demand for a high-touch one-stop shop, is largely under-represented by larger operators. It is also a significant part of a long-term plan that will help Peak plant its flag in a North Carolina market that the Glasgows have been eager to break into.
“There are not many luxury providers in the area, and we know there’s a need for it: This is a destination with high-quality hotels, so you’ve got the demand for a luxury service,” Faith said. “It was a good time for us because expanding into Asheville and Greenville was part of our five-year plan; now that we’ve been in Asheville for two years, we’ve established enough of a base there that we felt it was time for the next progression of our plan, which was to reinforce our presence in the Asheville market while acquiring a business in the Greenville market too.”
The region also offers niche appeal with its sought-after training and completive grounds for the likes of athletes ranging from internationally ranked cyclists to competitive equestrians.
“Because it’s a mountainous region, serious bicyclists like George Hincapie come out here to get their legs and lungs ready,” explained Shawn. “One of our new accounts is a hotel that caters to them while they’re up here training in the mountains. Another aspect is that there’s a half-a-billion-dollar facility here for horses and equestrian training, which was designed to host major events—which tend to attract high end, luxury travelers. So that’s something that we’re getting into while earning everyone’s trust.”
With the new company, Peak will welcome almost a dozen new employees between chauffeurs and office staff, as well as two websites and an impressive client database. The Glasgows already feel that the veteran LimoZen staff has proven to be a valuable addition, having offered considerable guidance throughout the early transition period that has included numerous face-to-face meetings with new accounts’ key players.
And they are grateful for the two office employees they’ve acquired with LimoZen, who have helped facilitate an even smoother transition.
“We’re so thankful these two employees have come on board because they are so knowledgeable about the accounts,” Faith said. “A lot of the clients have gotten comfy and familiar with the staff, and since they come from luxury mountain neighborhoods, they expect the soft-touch service that they’re used to.”
Visit peaklimo.com for more information.
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