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Plainview, N.Y. — The Long Island Transportation Association (LITA) resumed its meeting schedule November 12 with an information-packed gathering that attracted attendees from all over the greater New York and New Jersey area.
LITA President Doug Schwartz of Executive Transportation kicked things off with a welcome and thank-you to those who made the trip out before introducing the night’s educational agenda, which ranged from insurance insights to DOT updates to news about New York’s ever-evolving state laws. As First Vice President of the NLA, he also spoke about what the association is doing to assist Empire State operators who are still grappling with
Mike Marroccoli of Limo Insurers and Joe Marrotta spoke about the current state of the insurance aspect of the industry and explained the ongoing hard market while also talking about ways to make a good impression on a carrier in order to save a few thousand dollars as a way to cut costs without sacrificing coverage or safety.
Dave Lipsky of Authority on Transportation also spoke about the new DOT changes he’s seen in inspections. The current state of the NYDOT bus inspection program can be reviewed here.
Updates were also issues about the Nassau County Taxicab and Limousine Commission, the body governing ground transportation in the Long Island region. Attendees also participated in a conversation about ways to onboard new chauffeurs, with several operators offering up their experiences, successes, and pain points as learning experiences and advice for those who are struggling to streamline the process of welcoming new members to an established driving team.
LITA’s next event will be the East Coast Holiday Party is co- hosting December 9 in Newark, N.J., with the neighboring Limousine Association of New Jersey and Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association.
Visit longislandta.com for more information.
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Marlton, N.J. — Since Chauffeur Driven’s inception seven years ago, the one thing we’re regularly asked is “when are you going to introduce awards at the show?” Well, you’ve asked for it, and now, you’ve got it.
Chauffeur Driven and the National Limousine Association are proud to announce the first-ever Driven By Excellence Awards to be presented at the 2020 Chauffeur Driven/NLA Show on Tuesday, February 25, at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Held in conjunction with the charity auction to benefit the Harold Berkman Memorial Fund, these awards will spotlight operators, organizations, and chauffeurs who continually embody and demonstrate the best values and tenets of the luxury ground transportation industry.
For our inaugural year, we’ll be presenting six Driven By Excellence awards in the following categories:
- Association of the Year - This award recognizes excellence at the local/regional association level. From advocacy to membership growth to education, the winning association’s achievements from 2019 will be recognized.
- Charity & Community Service - Within an extremely generous industry, this award recognizes an individual whose efforts to support community and charitable efforts go to the next level.
- Customer Service Excellence - Every successful company relies on strong customer service. This award spotlights the best of the best.
- Pinnacle of Safety - Does your company culture put safety first? This is your chance to show how you take safety to the next level.
- Chauffeur of the Year - Does your company have an all-star chauffeur who consistently goes above and beyond for your clients and your business? Highlight this individual’s contributions by nominating them for Chauffeur of the Year.
- Next Gen/Emerging Leader - This industry is full of young minds who are enhancing their businesses with fresh perspectives and new ideas. This award is the perfect opportunity to share how you are influencing your company and the industry as an emerging leader from the next generation.
Whether your business has two cars or two hundred, everyone is eligible. Simply visit https://cdnlashow.com/show-info/driven-by-excellence-awards.html before January 8 to submit your nomination. Once the questionnaires have been received, a multi-tiered committee of experts from within and outside the industry will judge the entries based on a pre-determined series of criteria.
From safety to customer service to association leadership, these annual awards aim to recognize the best of the best in the chauffeured ground transportation industry. Don’t miss your chance to be among the inaugural award-winning line-up. Don’t forget: submit your nomination by January 8, 2020.
Visit cdnlashow.com for more information.
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Harlem, Ga. — Motorcoach manufacturer Temsa recently delivered new vehicles to three operators spanning the Eastern seaboard of the United States.
Founded in1988 and today, Custom Coach and Limo of Gorham, Me., has grown from a single cutaway bus into a 45-vehicle fleet, which includes mid-sized buses and luxury motorcoaches, as well as limousines, sedans, and schoolbuses. Recently, they added additional Temsa buses to their fleet.
“We have had a good experience with Temsa’s sales, service, and parts people,” says CEO Gregg Isherwood. “I’ve been operating Temsas for six years now—three TS-45s, including one that was just delivered, and four TS-30s, with another on order. They are reliable, well-built buses at a good price point—great value for operating in a competitive arena.”
Temsa Northeast Regional Manager Tony Mongiovi comments: “Custom has been a loyal customer from the beginning of Temsa’s entry into the US market. He has been a repeat buyer for the last 6 years. Gregg has run a first rate company for over 30 years, and all of us at Temsa NA are proud of the fact that he has chosen our coaches as he continues to build the company.”
Like many coach companies, David Thomas Trailways of Philadelphia started as a luxury tour company, but concluded that the best way to control transportation quality was to operate their own equipment.
“It’s tempting to say we’ve become a small bus specialist,” says David Benedict of David Thomas Trailways “What we really do is buy coaches that meet our customers’ needs. We began operating motorcoaches in 1997, and by 2003 we recognized that many of our clients wanted smaller buses, but with motorcoach amenities.”
That fleet has grown to 24 motorcoaches operated out a modern 20,000-square foot facility.
“One key to our success is diversity. Twelve of our 24 coaches are Temsa TS-35s and TS-30s. Our customers and drivers love them; they’re the most popular coaches in our fleet, and we are about to order three more.” according to Benedict.
“David Thomas Trailways is one of our biggest customers, but even more important, one of the best. David Benedict has not only done a great job of providing superior luxury motorcoach transportation. He has managed to acquire a loyal customer base that values quality,” says Mongiovi.
Meanwhile, in the Sunshine State, Miami Coach and Tours took delivery of two new 2020 TS45 coaches. The family-run business is one of South Florida’s most recognized charter and tour companies, with five motorcoaches and one minibus.
“I’ve been familiar with the Temsa Brand for many years from when I lived in Europe. I knew of their reputation for building not only beautiful buses but also very durable [vehicles],” says Owner Mursel Cevik. “I was excited to see Temsa come to the US market directly because they’ve always been known for building a great product. The first time I took the TS-45 for a test drive I was so impressed with the entrance of the coach as well as the turning radius and smooth ride, it was like a 50,000 lb. luxury car.”
Founded in 1968, and building coaches since 1984, Temsa is one of Turkey’s leading automotive companies, manufacturing and distributing buses and coaches in domestic and international markets. With a worldwide reputation for quality and support, Temsa has a wide range of products that helps customers serve a changing business environment and adapt their fleet to passengers evolving requirements and travel trends.
Visit temsa.com/us/en/temsa for more information.
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