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The PSA, which can be viewed at youtu.be/bb9ZxP4rgSk, draws attention to the vast number of sexual assaults that have occurred in ride-hailing vehicles and questions if these were caused by insufficient background check procedures. It serves as a call to action following alarming revelations of sexual harassment and assault that reach far beyond Hollywood and Washington, D.C.
The video, titled “The Signs,” is Anderson’s second PSA for the Ride Responsibly initiative, and comes on the heels of the #MeToo movement. It is a stark reminder that even getting from point A to B comes with a risk.
“The astounding number of tweets that referenced #MeToo and #uber was absolutely frightening, and disheartening to say the least,” said NLA President Gary Buffo. “It is time to recognize that these services are simply unsafe and pose an inherent threat to anyone using them, due to the blatantly insufficient background checks that transportation network companies (TNCs) use. Our partner, PAVE, has been instrumental in our campaign to inform the public about the dangers these services pose. Together, we are actively working to compel safety measures that will prevent these crimes.”
For more than 20 years, Angela Rose and PAVE have been the only national charitable organization committed to both sexual harassment and assault prevention and recovery. Through its support, social advocacy, training, and education programs, PAVE is leading the way and tackling these issues head on in the hopes of minimizing their occurrences and impact.
Rose, the founder and director of PAVE, said “through our work with survivors, we have always been aware that cases of sexual assault and harassment can occur just about anywhere. Unfortunately, this now includes ride-hail apps such as Uber and Lyft, which is why we have partnered with the National Limousine Association and Pamela Anderson. It is critical that everyone be made aware of the risks associated with ride-hailing apps and PAVE is excited to support this campaign with best practices and tangible safety tips. It’s important to note that no matter how many safety tips you practice, it is never your fault if someone harms you.”
She added: “While we are so proud of the #MeToo movement and all of the brave men and women that have come forward, we are constantly working to bring an end to these crimes.”
“When I first embarked on my quest to raise awareness about the safety risks associated with ride-hailing apps, I had no idea of the frequency or disturbing nature of the incidents,” Anderson said. “The reaction to our first campaign was inspiring, and also disheartening, as many voices came to the surface echoing the sentiment, #MeToo. Action, however, is more effective than a hashtag, and it is critical that we take the next step, demand justice for victims and force ride-hail apps to ensure our safety in their vehicles. Fingerprint-based background checks are a simple step that these transportation providers can take, and it is beyond me why this practice isn’t commonplace in 2018. These apps are optimized for predators and will remain so until common sense safety measures are put in place.”
Visit rideresponsibly.org and limo.org to learn more about the Ride Responsibly initiative and the NLA, respectively. Visit pavingtheway.net to learn more about PAVE.
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Beginning January 2018, REV will sell Setra motor coaches in the U.S. and Canada. Visitors of the upcoming 2018 UMA Motorcoach EXPO in San Antonio, Tex., will already find a Setra motor coach at REV’s exhibition stand. To guarantee a smooth transition process, Daimer’s previous partner Motor Coach Industries International (MCI) will remain in charge of after-sales service until June 29, 2018. Starting July 1, 2018, REV Coach will also be responsible for Setra’s after-sales service. In addition to distribution of Setra coaches, the parties have agreed to a strategic partnership to jointly explore further opportunities in the North American market in the future.
“Together with the REV Group, we will strive to further expand Setra’s Market coverage, strengthen our performance, and further improve support to better serve our coach customers in the United States and Canada,” said Ulrich Bastert, head of marketing, sales & customer services at Daimler Buses. “On this occasion it is important to me to also thank our previous partner MCI for their contribution to our coach business in North America. In particular, we thank MCI for being very cooperative during the entire transition process, although we decided to terminate the distribution rights agreement as the product ranges of both companies do not fit perfectly well with each other.”
Tim Sullivan, CEO and president of REV Group commented, “We are absolutely delighted with this new opportunity to partner with Daimler Buses to explore strategic initiatives in North America. Daimler is clearly one of the great vehicle manufacturers in the world. We have enjoyed a long relationship as both a purchaser of chassis and vehicles and a supplier of truck components for many years but this new strategic partnership takes our relationship to a whole new level. As a start, we believe that adding the Setra motor coach to the REV Group full line of buses will provide yet another first class entrée to our portfolio of transportation vehicles. This collaborative agreement provides for limitless transportation opportunities to explore in North America that we jointly believe will significantly enhance our overall market presence.”
Visit revgroup.com for more information.
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Other familiar faces in attendance included ABC Companies, Access Commercial Capital, Advantage Funding, Bitimec Wash-Bots, Blue Bird Body Company, Executive Coach Builders, Lancer Insurance Company, MCI, Prevost, Protective Insurance Company, and REV. In fact, Prevost gave away a guitar autographed by Bruce Springsteen, which was won by Tom Taylor of Lakeland Bus Lines.
The Expo consistently offers a confluence of educational sessions, networking opportunities, and a show floor featuring an array of services, technologies, and vehicles available to those entrenched in luxury ground transportation’s motorcoach side. This year was no different, with the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center hosting not only the expansive exhibit hall but also the majority of the expo’s events, from receptions to sessions. The show floor itself was filled with familiar faces like
Appealing to a wide range of attendees is always a top priority, and UMA reflected that in its five-pronged concurrent “Solutions Seminars,” where sessions focused on financials, marketing, operations, technology, and the specific needs of small operators. Topics ranged from trends to regulatory mandates, from hiring practices to looking toward the future.
There was education of another kind when author and entrepreneur Les McKeown took the stage as UMA’s keynote speaker on the expo’s second day, when he spoke to attendees about his work as a consultant to everything from small companies to Fortune 500 powerhouses, as well as his experiences with identifying business lifecycles and adopting practices to grow and prosper at those stages.
"UMA chose Les McKeown to keynote because his theme of predictable success aligns perfectly with UMA's continuing focus on supporting our members to achieve prosperity and growth," said UMA President and CEO Stacy Tetschner. The following day, McKeown offered a 90-minute session on the show floor to help company decision-makers not only identify their own challenges but also outline their next steps to meet those challenges head-on.
Check out the February issue of Chauffeur Driven for expanded coverage of the expo.
Other 2018 events for UMA include its Capitol Hill Days in Washington, D.C., from April 10-11, and the annual Safety Management Seminar in Ashburn, Va., December 5-6.
Visit uma.org or motorcoachexpo.com for more information.
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