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Sponsored by Vehicle Tracking Solutions, this was the first meeting under the leadership of new LANJ President Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Chauffeured Services Worldwide, who assumed the role from Jeff Shanker. Sharenow expressed his thanks to the attendees and let them know that he is honored by his new role in the organization. Jon Epstein of Royal Coachman Worldwide will serve a joint role as treasurer and first vice president.
After thanking the sponsors, Sharenow opened the meeting with news about the continuing battle with TNCs at the Newark airport. He reported that the chauffeured ground transportation has allies in the Newark and Elizabeth police departments; both are actively enforcing current limousine laws and regulations, with the city of Elizabeth taking a particularly strong stance. Unfortunately, the Port Authority has a much more lenient position and is not ticketing TNCs.
Next, LANJ members took the spotlight as Sharenow introduced the group’s two new board members, Howard Gogel of MyLimo and Scott Greenwald of AAA Worldwide Transportation. Both men have been LANJ members since 2006. The LANJ Member Spotlight then offered three members the opportunity to introduce themselves to the group. Jason Messinger of BBZ Limousine & Livery Service, Brett Barenholtz of Boston Car Service, and Jordan Sanders of Hollowsands Luxury Limousine each took a minute to speak about their business offerings. Next, Jim Luff from Chosen Payments was given the opportunity to speak about his company’s services to the industry, and the firm’s devotion to associations like LANJ.
As part of the meeting’s educational component, Ralph Bitter, supervisor, diesel enforcement of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, presented a slideshow about the state’s idling regulations. Bitter encouraged operators to limit their idling in order to reduce harmful emissions. Next was the meeting’s keynote presentation by Hannah Haverdink of The LMC Group. Entitled “How to Properly Onboard a New Chauffeur,” the lecture delved deep into the HR process to help owners run a more efficient hiring process that meets state laws and regulations.
Dwight Kines, President of the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA). Kines made the trip from Baltimore to express his admiration of LANJ and to encourage the two associations to work together when meeting with government officials about the TNC situation. Kines also invited LANJ members to attend the TLPA’s Spring Conference & Expo, which will be held April 21-23 at the Grand Hyatt in New York City.
Sharenow concluded the meeting by reminding attendees about CD’s upcoming New Orleans Executive Retreat. A pass to the event was raffled off and won by Michael Renehan of Concorde Worldwide.
The next LANJ meeting to be held May 18 at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in West Orange. This nighttime fundraiser event will feature an auction and dinner.
Visit lanj.org for more information.
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Laurie Cantwell of MV1 Insurance and Sarah Vanbeek of Chosen Payments both discussed their companies’ initiates to garner new NELA members. Aleja Seabron of The LMC Group and Brett Tyson of TDC Training Specialists both spoke about their involvement in NELA’s upcoming April 4 Driving Education series of seminars; Seabron will discuss social media and online marketing while Tyson will be the day’s keynote speaker.
NELA Executive Director Rick Szilagyi then spoke about the association’s efforts to battle TNCs, which includes almost 10 new bills introduced in Rhode Island in the week prior to the meeting and its retention of a “Dream Team” comprising lobbyists and lawyers who are assisting the association in its continued pursuit of a level playing field and regulations promoting public safety. Outside legal assistance does, however, require at least $20,000 per month to retain that help; Szilagyi thanked those who have provided the biggest monetary contributions and implored others to become financially invested in the battle.
Szilagyi then introduced Jagiela, who spoke about how visiting with operators and associations throughout the country has allowed him a firsthand perspective on how the industry is handling TNCs on a national scale. Jagiela shared some insight he gained from legislators when participating in the Greater California Livery Association’s Day on the Hill last month: “We will never be able to bring TNCs to the limousine’s industry current standards; however, under consideration is finding a middle ground and make all commercial providers adhere to the same standards and regulations.” Jagiela also spoke about CD’s 2016 events, raffling off a pass to the Chauffeur Driven Show in Washington, D.C. that was won by Lew Aflalo of Green Light Limousine.
Mike Fogarty of Tristar Worldwide, who is also the immediate past president of Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association, then thanked Szilagyi and NELA for the association’s active approach to speaking for the industry’s New England operators. He also expressed his pleasure in seeing a cooperative relationship emerge between taxis and our industry as both continue to grapple with TNCs.
The speakers concluded with Michael Campbell of Grace Limousine, NLA’s Northeast Regional Director, who discussed the benefits of membership in the national association and spoke about its upcoming Day on the Hill, scheduled for April 26-27 in Washington, D.C.
NELA’s next event is Driving Education on April 4; its next meeting is June 14.
Visit nelivery.org for more information.
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WFLA President Jeremy Jenkins of His and Hers Limousines kicked off the meeting by imploring those in attendance to stay the course of corporate work as TNCs continue to dog the Florida chauffeured transportation scene, as well as continuing to attend industry events to help create a wider networking reach.
Maccar then spoke about the value both the magazine and events aim to bring to the industry, and how input from operators are what help Chauffeur Driven deliver the content they seek. She also raffled off a pass to the Executive Retreat in New Orleans, which was won by Gus Shahin of Luxury Transportation Limousine.
With NLA’s Day on the Hill slated for next month, the legislative event is at the forefront of many operators’ minds, and Jenkins shared his previous experiences of walking the halls and meeting with elected officials throughout the history of the annual event.
“You’re meeting people and letting them know that our industry is still here year after year,” Jenkins said.
The discussion shifted to the March meeting of the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission (HCPTC), which was attended by two WFLA members. While TNC operations are currently illegal in the county and their drivers are being ticketed, members are concerned that “a lack of recourse” for collecting on those tickets won’t curb the problem; however, they also hope that the public will take note of how often TNC vehicles receive citations and “will begin to realize that they are not kosher organizations.”
Members’ optimism was cautious, though, feeling that they have only a year’s reprieve before the TNC battle rears its ugly head once more: “Rest assured, Uber will be back,” Jenkins warned. “We can’t just sleep until next year—we have this year to figure out how to fight Uber when they do come back.”
As operators in the Tampa area and throughout the state have been working closely with Florida’s taxi drivers, the “tireless efforts” and lobbying donations of Lou Minardi, president of the Yellow Cab Company of Tampa, were spoken of as being instrumental in effecting local regulatory change.
“Lou is in Tallahassee more than some Congressmen!” WFLA Executive Director Dave Shaw observed. “I’m proud that he’s in the Tampa area, fighting for us—and winning.”
Minardi’s work was also praised for being instrumental in helping to kill HB-1439, a Florida House bill that would have prevented HCPTC from banning TNCs, as was that of Senator Athenia Joyner, who WFLA members were quick to refer to as a friend of the association. Brook Negusei of Luxury Transportation of Tampa Bay echoed the call for the two industries to work together, saying that while chauffeured ground transportation hasn’t suffered the way taxis have at the hands of TNCs, some aspects of the industry taken a significant hit from them.
“Some of those taxi guys are putting out $100,000 a year for this fight—our weekend trips are dying and we need to stick together,” Negusei said.
WFLA’s next meeting will be May 18.
Visit wflatampa.com for more information.
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