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A major topic of conversation was the association’s goal to increase membership this year. “We hope to build a stronger voice for our association,” said Abed. “We’ll be reaching out to other major cities in Texas in order to work together and help each other with common issues and problems. We hope to build a network among these operators.”
Abed started with HALCA in 1988 and has seen the membership increase to its now-present 75 operators. To help foster new growth, the association offered small educational meetings as well as Q&A sessions last year. Guests were invited to attend the open meetings throughout the year, and this also helped to increase interest in membership.
Another agenda item was the recent WAV deadline on January 12. After some tough questions and back and forth with City of Houston, the board was able to offer clarification for the membership. “We went through the turmoil of confusing information about requirements, approved vehicles, and the prices these approved companies could charge,” reported board member Jon Ouazdi of TransGates Limousine. The WAV-approved companies are currently noted on the HALCA’s website.
Local operators are now gearing up for rodeo season in Houston and will have their next meeting later in the spring.
Visit the houstonlimos.info for more information.
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Dupont has worked in the bus industry for over 25 years. His experience and strong focus on sales and business development across North America will be an asset as Prevost seeks to further develop its pre-owned business division. In his new role, Dupont will lead a team of dedicated regional sales managers with a keen understanding of the specific needs of their customers.
“Pre-owned sales are an important facet both for Prevost business and for customers searching for reliable vehicles backed by the Prevost brand they know and trust,” Dupont says. “I’m happy to be joining such a dedicated and passionate team to help customers find just the right fit for their needs.”
Vice-President General Manager François Tremblay adds “We welcome the extensive experience and fresh new perspective Jean brings to the table. Through close collaboration, his contributions in terms of leadership, business development and customer experience will benefit both Prevost’s pre-owned business and the new coach sales team.”
Prevost is also pleased to announce that David W. Schmidt, Prevost regional sales manager, has been elected board chairperson and museum president for the Museum of Bus Transportation.
Located in Hershey, Pa., the Museum of Bus Transportation is the bus industry’s most complete museum of bus history education and information. It represents school buses, transit buses and motorcoaches, and features more than 30 historical vehicles and various industry memorabilia.
“I’m excited by the opportunity to lead the museum’s executive committee,” Schmidt says of his two-year term. “We have identified a number of initiatives that we are eager to pursue, including increasing awareness of the museum within the industry and improving our operational efficiencies. I look forward to working with our wonderful team of volunteers, both on the board and at the museum itself, to accomplish these goals.”
In other news, Capitol Tours recently marked 30 years of partnering with Prevost. To celebrate, the family-owned motorcoach tour company serving the state of South Carolina, took delivery of a brand new X3-45 coach in December. This brings their total number of Prevost coaches to eight.
“We’ve been in business since 1981, and we’ve been fortunate to be a Prevost customer for 30 of those years,” says Buddy Young, who co-owns Capitol Tours with his wife, Mary. “They have been excellent to work with and have taken very good care of us. Plus, they build a great coach that our customers love.”
Capitol Tours provides charter services to local businesses, primary and secondary schools, and universities. They also carry local military personnel as a U.S. Department of Defense-certified carrier.
Visit prevostcar.com, BusMuseum.org and capitol-tours.com for more information.
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“One of our goals at Global Alliance is to consistently offer the most current fleet and up-to-date technologies in order to provide maximum value and a modern experience for our clients,” states Joe Ironi, president, Global Alliance Worldwide Chauffeured Services. “We believe the addition of the BMW 750Li and 740Le sedans not only meet that goal, but continue to set us apart as an industry leader.”
The inclusion of the BMW 740Le model marks a shift in the transportation industry’s focus to environmentally-friendly options. The iPerformance model combines the latest generation four-cylinder combustion engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and an electric motor, creating low fuel consumption and zero emissions at the driver’s command.
“The BMW 7 Series sets the standard for innovation in design and technology,” says Bruce Caton, national manager, corporate, direct and special sales, BMW Group Canada. “Having BMW 740Le iPerformance models in the fleet combines top level driving pleasure and long-distance comfort with the option of all-electric, emission-free mobility.”
Visit global-alliance.ca or bmw.ca for more information.
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