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The coaches—six of which are configured to seat 52 passengers (CX45) and one that carries 36 passengers (CX35)—have arrived just in time for New England's popular Fall Foliage touring season. These well-appointed coaches include increased leg room; luxurious reclining seats with leather-trimmed fabric and three-point seatbelts; entertainment systems with large monitors, DVD player, and iPod docks; 110-volt and USB outlets at every seat; and wireless internet. They also include safety features such as a fire suppression system, stability control, and lane departure warning.
“We are committed to providing our customers with safe, reliable transportation; the driving factor behind keeping our fleet current," said Donald DeVivo, president and second-generation owner of DATTCO. "The average age of the equipment in our fleet is less than four years. We have tremendous repeat business because our clients know they are getting a dependable, quality coach when they enter into a contract with us.”
Visit DATTCO.com for more information.
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MLOA President Maurice Brewster of Mosaic Global Transportation began the meeting by discussing the increased educational opportunities the association has been offering its members by the way of webinars and programs, as well as other benefits of membership and a summation of the MLOA’s past year in highlights.
Making good on the MLOA’s promise to deliver relevant, in-demand information, the meeting featured Keynote Speakers Daniel Selby of Daniel Selby PLLC and Randel Holmes of Delta Airlines.
Selby, an accountant, gave those in attendance an interactive session on “the business of tax.” Along with discussing mergers and acquisitions, he dispelled the double-taxation myth as it relates to profits being taxed at both the corporation and individual levels. He also helped demystify heady topics like alternative tax triggers, as well as explained how to scale one’s business for pro-activity.
MLOA 1st Vice President Darrell Anderson of A-National Limousine was credited for introducing Holmes to the association—and sidestepping an offer for his company to handle a global contract for Delta by opening it up to all MLOA members in good standing instead.
Holmes discussed that business opportunity, as well as how to make the most of corporate philosophies for companies aiming “to make their suppliers and employees as diverse as their customers.” He also examined the mechanics of RFP submissions by using examples of the newly launched Delta A320 plane and what those 11-13 crew members expect from their dedicated ground transportation providers.
At the end of the meeting, Brewster acknowledged the many meeting sponsors and the MLOA advisory board of vendors, reiterating that the latter’s knowledge and former’s support make providing the education that members demand possible.
Chosen Payments ended the meeting on a high note by presenting Brewster with a rebate check for $1,656.47.
The next MLOA meeting will be its November 29 conference call.
Visit mlooa.org for more information.
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With FLA President Rick Versace of A1A Limousine & Airport Service presiding over the meeting, he kicked off the breakfast gathering by sharing some of the wisdom that he and other association leaders gained—and even dispensed himself—during the previous day’s Association Summit.
“Associations elevate the industry,” he said. “They help you be successful because you’re sharing what you know with others, and they’re helping you learn from what they know. You learn how to present yourself and how to keep it classy while working together.”
Indeed, unity is an inevitable topic when discussing the notoriously fractured state comprising 67 counties that are all ruled by their own unique sets of laws and regulations, and Versace stressed that a continued concerted effort is the only way to survive.
“It’s all about unity,” Versace advised. “Associations help you be successful, but you have to help them be successful with your participation and support.”
He then launched into a review of what the FLA and the state’s transportation operators have been facing lately, starting with regulations that have come to fruition in the past year—which have betrayed just how uneven the regulatory landscape has become in a post-TNC world.
“The playing field has gotten so lopsided, it’s ridiculous,” said Versace. As TNCs are all but exempt from coughing up the same local fees that chauffeured ground transportation operators are, one particular pain point stemmed from how the state imposes a $1,000 citation for both a chauffeur and their company if a car enters a county in which it has not been licensed to operate.
This has led to the FLA considering a return to state legislators to appeal for the same regulations that TNCs are afforded: a one-time statewide operational license that puts an end to constantly worrying about crossing county lines. Versace emphasized that this is not to say they’re courting deregulation but rather seeking eased operations.
Versace described the country-by-county regulations as being holdovers from when smaller companies were worried about Florida’s bigger businesses eating up their client base—a concern, he says, that has already come to pass with TNCs.
One silver lining in the constant storm of TNCs is the improved technology they’ve brought to the ground transportation sector, which GroundWidgets’ Stephen Power discussed during his presentation about global distribution systems.
David Thompson and Paul Zizzo of RRL Insurance were also among the meeting’s guest speakers, and discussed how an uptick in major claims losses are why insurance rates are on the rise. They also explained what it means when the industry is in a hard market and how safety measurements influence insurance payments.
Versace added that the FLA is currently working with some providers to develop app-on insurance to help operators save costs in that regard. He also reminded those in attendance that the association always benefits from active board members and encouraged interested parties to help make the FLA an active force for positive change in Florida’s transportation landscape.
Before the meeting concluded, members of the Chosen Payments team presented Versace with the FLA’s rebate check, which came to $4,997.13.
Visit floridalimousine.com for more information.
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