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The GBTA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), announced the launch of GBTA’s Sustainable Procurement Standards, a free educational resource that corporate travel buyers worldwide can utilize to make informed procurement decisions and deliver on their organization’s sustainability objectives. Additionally, GBTA says that the standards align with the Biden Administration’s goals for a sustainable future for business travel.
Although the first set of standards focus primarily on the aviation sector, GBTA will release additional guidelines for other hospitality sectors—including hotels and ground transportation—in the upcoming months. Additionally, the association will hold sessions at their convention this July in Atlanta, as well as host a free webinar on April 3 to explain the new standards as well as answer questions. Click here to register for the webinar or here to register for the convention.
According to the press release, the Foundation along with the GBTA Sustainability Committee consulted with more than 50 leading companies in the business travel space over 18 months to develop the final text. The Sustainable Procurement Standards are available on the GBTA Foundation website, as well as in the GBTA Hub for GBTA members.
“One of the biggest sustainability challenges faced by the business travel industry around procurement is focusing on issues that are meaningful and driving positive change across the ESG spectrum,” said Delphine Millot, GBTA Foundation managing director and GBTA SVP for sustainability and advocacy. “This is why the GBTA Foundation convened the entire value chain of business travel to agree on common, global standards to benchmark the sustainability performance of airlines, hotels and car rental companies. The new Standards offer a practical solution for buyers to support their procurement efforts and streamlines the process for suppliers, ultimately fostering a more responsible travel ecosystem.”
Visit gbtafoundation.org for more information about the GBTA Foundation.
[03.19.24]
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ABC Companies, the exclusive US distributor of Van Hool buses, shared a recent announcement from Van Hool about the bus manufacturer’s recovery plan, which includes a shift away from its Koningshooikt manufacturing site. Van Hool, whose biggest markets are North America and Europe, cites COVID, high energy prices, and worldwide inflation for its continued financial challenges.
In ABC’s announcement, it was confirmed that Van Hool would focus on growing its manufacturing capabilities at its Macedonia facility, which has supplied vehicles to the US and Canada for the past decade. ABC says that North American customers should not be impacted by the restructuring.
“ABC Companies and the Cornell family fully support this decision and will be working closely with the leadership at Van Hool to ensure a seamless transition. While production for global markets will be shifting to the Macedonia facility, many key operations will remain at the Koningshooikt location. We are confident this restructuring will further enhance Van Hool’s capabilities and service to their global markets. We look forward to our continued partnership with Van Hool and a truly bright future” said ABC Companies CEO Roman Cornell.
Van Hool noted in its own announcement that production of buses and coaches would mainly take place at the plant in Skopje, northern Macedonia. In Koningshooikt, the IV (Industrial Vehicles) division would focus on semi-trailers requiring a higher degree of expertise and offering higher added value for the customer as well as for Van Hool. The B&C (Bus & Coach) division would keep its knowledge center, research & development, prototype building and after-sales in Koningshooikt.
Visit abc-companies.com for more information.
[03.19.24]
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- Category: Industry News
Victor Dizengoff, a trailblazer in the New York black car industry for decades, passed away peacefully on March 13. He was 86.
As a young man, he honorably served in the United States Army for three years as a Korean War veteran, and later went on to earn a master’s in economics from Brooklyn College, which laid the foundation for his career.
After earning his stripes as a taxi driver, his visionary mindset led him to entrepreneurship as the founder of Vital Two-Way Radio, a notable black car service in New York now known as Vital Transportation with a fleet of 300 vehicles.
Victor’s impact on the industry is still felt today. His leadership in the Black Car Assistance Corporation (BCAC) for 34 years was instrumental in bringing the industry together as an advocate for drivers' rights. BCAC was founded in 1991 to help unify the industry in supporting legislation that retained independent contractor status, a model that overwhelmingly dominated the black car industry. Among the organization’s monumental achievements was the groundbreaking establishment of the Black Car Fund, created by the state of New York for drivers associated with bases in NYC to provide workers’ compensation insurance—with more benefits added each year such as driver training. Victor served as the executive director of the Black Car Fund for 12 years and is now managed by Ira Goldstein. He was a longtime member and indefatigable advocate for the industry through the Taxi, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA)—now called The Transportation Alliance—of which he served as president in 2009.
He is also remembered as the publisher and editor of Black Car News, a vital publication dedicated to keeping NYC’s for-hire industry well informed. The publication, which he took over in 1991, has been managed by Neil Weiss since 2005.
Victor found joy in his hobbies, which included following New York sports teams, traveling, and savoring the melodies of jazz and big band music. His greatest pleasure, however, was his beloved family. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Sandy, and his many children and grandchildren.
He was laid to rest on March 17 at the New Montefiore Cemetery in West Babylon, N.Y. In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests that donations be made to United Jewish Appeal (UJA) in Victor’s memory.
Chauffeur Driven extends our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Victor. Look for a tribute to Victor in the April issue of Chauffeur Driven.
[03.19.24]