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The two biggest trade associations in the for-hire passenger transportation industry announced today that they are in earnest discussions to merge in 2020.
The National Limousine Association (NLA) and The Transportation Alliance (formerly known as the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association) have been in exploratory merger talks for several months to outline the operating framework of the combined organizations. Now, with the initial support of both boards behind them, the groups will continue to advance their discussions.
“This would be a win for our combined membership and a win for industry vendors,” said Terry O’Toole, president of The Transportation Alliance. “With our associations merged, we see a bright future where our members save money, where our vendors can meet under one roof, and where our unified messages are amplified like never before.”
“From the first discussion, both associations approached this as a true merger of equals,” said Gary Buffo, president of the NLA. “That spirit of cooperation has brought us to this exciting point today. We each bring significant strengths to the table that, when you add them together, create an impressive and powerful organization serving as the voice of our industry.”
The boards of both organizations have reviewed and approved in principle the structure under which the new organization will operate.
Each organization hosts annual conferences and trade shows. Both groups expect to address the possible merger at their respective upcoming meetings. The NLA hosts a membership meeting at the Westin Boston Waterfront on Oct. 14 during the Chauffeur Driven Show from 13-16. The Transportation Alliance hosts its convention and expo, Mobilize 2019, at Bally’s Las Vegas on Oct. 16-19.
About The Transportation Alliance: Established in 1917, The Transportation Alliance is a nonprofit trade association that represents the owners and managers of for-hire transportation services (taxicab, limousine, sedan, TNC, shuttle, brokers, paratransit, and nonemergency medical fleets). The Transportation Alliance’s member companies operate more than 100,000 passenger vehicles and transport more than 900 million passengers annually. Visit thetransportationalliance.org or contact John Boit at boit@melwoodglobal.com for more information.
About the National Limousine Association: The National Limousine Association is a nonprofit organization responsible for and dedicated to representing the interests of the private driver transportation industry at the global, national, state, and local level. It is the unified voice of this industry, linking transportation industry professionals from owners and operators to suppliers, manufacturers, and regional and state limousine associations. With more than 1,000 NLA members, the Association is committed to exceeding expectations with regards to professionalism, transportation efficiency, and safe riding. Visit limo.org or contact Matthew Berritt at matthew.berritt@evins.com for more information.
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Brussels, Belgium — Coach manufacturer Van Hool will be debuting two motorcoaches in its booth at Busworld Europe, held October 18-23 at the Brussels Expo Center. In addition to an electric-powered bus for the US market, Van Hool will be presenting a number of technological innovations on its vehicles, which reflect the company’s innovative strength.
Just four years ago, Van Hool launched the EX-range, a modern, efficient, innovative and comfortable alternative to the ever-increasing competition in the coach world market. At Busworld Europe, they will be presenting the EX11, the fourth model in the EX-range (adding to the EX15, EX16, and EX17). With it, Van Hool is responding to the increasing market demand to offer a well-equipped and comfortable vehicle in the 11-meter (36-foot) class. Including the L and H variants, with low or standard boarding height, the full EX-range consists of no fewer than 10 versions. Like all these versions, the EX11 can also be ordered immediately. All are available with powerful, economical DAF engines of the latest NG generation, coupled with a wide range of manual, automated, and automatic gearboxes.
The CX45E is a fully electrically-powered coach for the US market. Van Hool selected Proterra, an American producer of battery technology for heavy vehicles, to supply the E2 battery technology. The 100-percent electric-powered vehicle will have a total battery capacity of 648Kwh and a working radius of approximately 300 km. This coach will be an ideal solution for many customers operating fixed routes, particularly in urban and private environments. With proprietary route modelling capability, Van Hool and ABC Companies, the exclusive partner and distributor for the North-American market, can ensure range capacity that is conservatively within each operator’s individual needs.
Van Hool has been working with its exclusive partner and distributor ABC Bus Companies for more than 30 years to put the Belgian company on the map in the US. Today, there are more than 11,000 Van Hool coaches and buses on the North American roads.
Van Hool will be presenting no less than 18 vehicles at Busworld Europe. Of those, seven coaches and on bus will be on the show floor and 10 coaches will be used for test drives. This will give professional visitors the chance to see the quality of Van Hool’s extensive range. Van Hool will seize this event to introduce technological innovations on a few of its vehicles. These innovations will be unveiled for the first time at Busworld Europe 2019.
“Our company has been a welcome guest at Busworld since 1971, and we always enjoy going back,” says Van Hool CEO Filip Van Hool. “This event is an excellent opportunity to introduce our innovations to existing and potential customers, and to get a feel for what is going on in the marketplace. Our booth in the familiar halls of Kortrijk Expo was always like a second home during the exhibition, so it does feel like a chapter that's closing. I have confidence in the organisers’ decision to move Busworld Europe to a new location, and no doubt this will bring many new opportunities. As always, we are ready!”
Visit vanhool.be for more information.
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Roswell, Ga. — When the Greater Atlanta Limousine Association (GALA) headed to the Country Club of Roswell August 27 for its annual charity golf tournament, 21 teams comprising 84 players from all across the country came along for a day of good company while coming together for some friendly competition to benefit a great cause. CD Publisher Chris Weiss was among those who traveled from outside the state to support the yearly fundraiser and friendly tournament, as Chauffer Driven was an event sponsor.
In addition to spending nearly a full day on the course, the golfers raised nearly $40,000 in the annual fundraiser benefiting Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. It is one of the largest nonprofit children’s cancer and research centers in the world—and a favorite charity of GALA’s for eight years now.
“We’ve donated somewhere in the neighborhood of $80,000 to Children’s Healthcare over the past few years,” said GALA President and first-time Golf Chair Jeff Greene of Greene Worldwide Transportation, who's been on the golf committee for years.
In addition to doing some good, golfers had ample opportunities to win big in a various contests, as well as the auction held during the awards banquet that serves as the event’s capstone dinner.
Greene said that, just as in previous years, the golf tournament continues to be a crowd-pleaser that showcases how easilythe industry comes together.
“The highlight was the participation that the sponsors—such as Mercedes-Benz, Grech Motors, and Lancer—showed us and the number of supporters and out-of-town players who showed up for our charity benefit,” he affirmed. "It’s a great feeling knowing that we’re helping such a great charity, and it shows the generosity of our industry—not just here in Atlanta but all around the country."
Fred Rich of CTN Global Chauffeured Transportation was on this year's golf committee and added that Dave Winokur, the development officer at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, is a big supporter of the charity outing, and reminds golfers that their generosity is making a difference to the hundreds of young patients the center treats every year.
“Dave Winokur had a team, and he talked a lot about how much they appreciate everything, how much the money helps with research and development, and how it’s all to help the kids,” Rich said.
And Rich admits that he’s a “sucker for causes that help children.”
“There’s a lot of good causes out there, but I don’t think there’s anything better than the kids,” he said. “They say that, on average, one family every day finds out that their child has cancer. And at Children’s Healthcare, when they break the news, they walk in with a team so the kids and their families know who all of the doctors and nurses are, when all the appointments are, what the course of procedure’s going to be. When they leave that room, it’s all set: They do everything for the kids and their families. What they’re doing over there is just amazing. I can’t imagine anything better than supporting a charity that takes care of the kids.”
The next GALA meeting will be in October, where representatives from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta will be presented with the tournament’s proceeds.
Visit galalimo.org for more information.
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