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The deadline for the National Limousine Association’s 2025 Vegas Show Scholarship Program, which provides operators the opportunity to attend the CD/NLA Show in Vegas for the first time, is quickly approaching. Applications will be accepted through Wednesday, January 8.
The scholarship includes:
- One Full Show Pass to the CD/NLA Show in Las Vegas ($549)
- Three paid nights at host hotel, Paris Las Vegas ($600)
- One-year NLA membership if scholarship winner is not currently an NLA member ($395+)
- Networking and education to grow your business (priceless!)
“Like so many operators, I remember how overwhelming and intimidating my first show was,” says Barenholtz. “By providing guidance and support to first-time show attendees and new NLA members, we can hopefully set them up for success, help their businesses grow, and make them show attendees for life!
To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must own a chauffeured transportation company that has at least one (1) vehicle, have the required local/state/federal licensing and proper insurance, work chauffeured transportation as your primary business, have never attended an NLA event or Chauffeur Driven Show in any capacity previously, and have not previously been awarded a Scholarship by the NLA. Furthermore, recipients MUST participate on the Scholarship Orientation Conference Call (to be held prior to the show) and attend the various sessions and events at the CD/NLA Show. For full requirements, please consult the application. In addition, the recipient must provide a written report on the experience after the show.
The application deadline is Wednesday, January 8.
Visit limo.org for more information.
[01.06.25]
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Congestion Pricing Slated to Begin in NYC: The on-again, off-again, on-again toll program that is designed to reduce congestion in Manhattan is scheduled to finally launch on January 5, 2025. The toll applies to vehicles entering Manhattan at or below 60th Street (except if exclusively using the FDR or West Side Highway) and will be charged via E-ZPass or plate reader. According to the plan, taxis and for-hire vehicles (FHV) whose companies or bases are enrolled in the Per-Trip Charge Plan will be charged a per-trip toll, paid by the passenger. The current toll will be $0.75 per trip and will increase to $1 in 2028 and $1.25 in 2031. App-based services like Uber and Lyft will start at a higher rate. Pretty much everyone else will be charged the full-boat rate of $9 at peak hours ($2.25 during off-peak overnight hours). That toll will also increase incrementally until it tops at $15 in 2031. The incoming Trump administration has vowed to stop it, but the odds are it won’t happen. Click here for more info about the tolls.
Source: NYC 311
REAL ID Is Coming: This should definitely be on your to-do list for 2025. Postponed several times during the COVID pandemic, REAL ID is a-go come May 7, 2025. This applies to those who are looking to fly domestically or enter certain federal buildings/facilities, and unless you have a current passport, you’re going to want to secure the enhanced REAL ID through your local DMV. Don’t delay if you know you’re going to need it as appointments, depending on your state, have been hard to come by for many—not to mention the additional paperwork required. Here’s a link to more information about your state’s program.
Source: Department of Homeland Security
CTA Gets a Stay: The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA)was enacted to combat illicit activities like tax fraud and money laundering is again on hold. According to the CTA, most businesses were required to submit a Beneficial Ownership Information report to the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, known as FinCEN, with enforcement starting in January 2025, but due to legal challenges, the program is paused. Directly from the FinCEN website: In light of a recent federal court order, reporting companies are not currently required to file beneficial ownership information with FinCEN and are not subject to liability if they fail to do so while the order remains in force. However, reporting companies may continue to voluntarily submit beneficial ownership information reports. Get the most up-to-date information here.
Source: FinCEN
Mercedes-Benz Teases a New Sprinter: In a very terse press release, the German automaker touted a re-engineered Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA). The industry’s most popular van (OK, we’re assuming that based on how many operators own them and manufacturers build them) has been tops among fleets for more than a decade, so we’re curious what they have up their sleeve. With nothing more than a shadowy silhouette picture to go by, we’ll have to wait until spring 2025 for more deets. What we do know is that it will be “modular and scalable” representing “Mercedes-Benz Vans' vision of a luxurious, elegant, and spacious limousine, offering an outlook of how the highest customer demands could be met.” Stay tuned?
Source: Mercedes-Benz Vans
[12.30.24]
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‘Resiliency’ and ‘recovery’ punctuated the recently released 2024 Motorcoach Census, conducted and analyzed by the American Bus Association Foundation (ABAF) and Tourism Economics. Using data collected from operators based in the US and Canada during 2023, the report emphasized the growth trends and the importance that the industry plays in society at large.
The motorcoach industry was among the last hospitality sectors to recover after the 2020 pandemic, with reports that more than 40 percent of operators closing permanently. The report, however, shows that services are rebounding and thriving in the most recent years.
The Motorcoach Census found that:
- 1,859 companies operated 46,751 motorcoaches in the US and 125 companies managed a fleet of 1,195 motorcoaches in Canada
- Collectively, the companies delivered 38 billion passengers over 1.6 billion miles
- The motorcoach sector supported nearly 77,000 jobs
- 66 percent motorcoach utilization for charter services, the highest of all service types.
- Small operators (89.6 percent of companies) continue to dominate the industry, reflecting its deeply local and community-focused nature
- Midsize and large operators account for significant portions of the fleet, underscoring their efficiency and capacity
“The 2024 Motorcoach Census illustrates the incredible resilience and adaptability of the motorcoach industry,” said ABAF Director of Research, Policy, and Impact Lew Myers about the report. “Our industry has not only survived but is thriving, providing critical transportation services to millions of passengers and supporting thousands of jobs in the US and Canada,” adding that the industry is vital to the North American transportation industry.
The report, conducted by Tourism Economics, utilizes data from surveys distributed to motorcoach carriers alongside other industry sources. It serves as a key resource for understanding trends, challenges, and opportunities in the motorcoach sector.
The full report can be found here.
Visit buses.org for more information.
[12.30.24]