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The GCLA will be celebrating its legislative victories at this year’s Annual Meeting & Holiday Party
Los Angeles — One of the most well-attended holiday parties in the industry is gearing up for its annual installment, and you’re invited to a night of entertainment, food and drink, industry camaraderie, and a whole lot of holiday cheer.
Mark your calendars for the Greater California Livery Association’s (GCLA’s) Annual Meeting & Holiday Party, scheduled for December 3 at association favorite The Proud Bird, conveniently located in close proximity to LAX. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m.; with the passage of AB5 fresh on everyone’s minds, there will be plenty to celebrate with friends both old and new this year.
During the meeting portion of the event, the GCLA will be announcing its new slate of directors for 2020, as well as discussing the value and benefits of being a member, which include networking, advocacy, education, and supplier cost savings. The legislative team and GCLA’s lobbyist will speak about 2019’s legislative victories while outlining the association’s plans and strategies for the year to come.
Industry members from all over the country attend GCLA’s holiday party every year
Afterward, enjoy some live entertainment, including magician and sommelier Ben Silver, along with plenty of photo opportunities while catching up with those who come all across the country for a festive night with industry friends.
Registration is required to attend; early bird registration ends November 22, so sign up early at gcla.org/next-event to save a few dollars. Pre-sale costs are $60 for members and $70 for non-members.
The GCLA’s next event will be its January 28 Northern California Operator Meeting.
Visit gcla.org for more information.
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Managing Director Heather Matthews
Glasgow, Scotland — Luxury ground transportation provider Little’s has introduced a single-use plastic ban in all their chauffeur driven cars. The family-run operator is replacing all plastic bottled water with CanO Water, an infinitely recyclable alternative to single-use plastic. CanO Water cans are made of aluminium, which contains more recycled substances than any other drinks packaging. The cans offer resealable ring pulls, providing convenience for their clients and preventing waste.
“As a conscientious business, we knew we had to become plastic free as every corporation and person plays a huge part in protecting our planet,” said Managing Director Heather Matthews. “We calculated that on average Little’s were using over 35,000 bottles of water annually, and by switching to CanO Water we would reduce this to zero. This is hugely impactful for us as a business and much kinder to our environment. We want to continue offering our clients the amenities they would expect when travelling by luxury chauffeur driven car and this allows us to do so in the most sustainable way possible.”
Little’s-branded CanO Water
Little’s move to “green” water will double their water purchasing costs, however this will not result in additional costs for their customers. The company wants to make a statement to all its clients and industry peers that they must work together as a community and do more to reduce the transport industry’s environmental footprint. Matthews believes that they must build on their current eco standard, which has led to 40 percent of their vehicles in Scotland being hybrid. This move to CanO Water is not only to prove commitment to sustainability, but to make looking after the environment a part of her family business’s DNA.
The company has said that 2019 has already been a record-breaking year as they’ve seen turnover increase by 34 percent with profits up by over 35 percent. Little’s has recently been crowned Business of the Year twice, at both the Scottish Women’s Awards and the Women’s Enterprise Scotland Awards. The business is also a finalist for Established Business of the Year and Matthews as Business Woman of the Year at the Business Women Scotland Awards, which take place November 8.
Visit littles.co.uk for more information.
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MCI D45 CRTe LE CHARGE
San Francisco — Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is making history in California with a statewide tour of its first all-electric over-the-road coach—the MCI D45 CRTe LE CHARGE, designed for long-range express routes and improved accessibility.
“Over the next three months, we’re creating opportunities for private and public transportation leaders in California and other states to test our next-generation D-Series coach, a zero-emission, all-electric vehicle built for the highway,” said MCI Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Service Patrick Scully. “This model’s breakthrough in accessibility has the ability to transform express service while helping communities reduce their carbon footprint.”
FlixBus, a fast-growing city-to-city express service mobility provider, is the first to send the D45 CRTe LE CHARGE on a Sacramento to San Francisco route for evaluation on October 28. FlixBus is the largest, long-distance, tech-driven mobility provider in Europe that’s now operating in the U.S.
“FlixBus is changing the way people access transportation by applying their innovative model to better connect people to places by bus,” said Vice President of Marketing and Product Planning Brent Maitland. “The iconic brand’s long-distance application presents an ideal format to demonstrate our electric platform because of our roles as mobility solutions providers to mitigate congestion and improve the environment. Our customers know MCI to be reliable in both product and support. And now we’re at the forefront of reliable electric motor coaches.”
On November 1, the D45 CRTe LE tour shifts to public transit operators throughout California. Each stop will provide guests a walkthrough of the coach, along with technology review and demo rides along current routes. In turn, MCI will collect data to optimize design and identify recommended charging strategy.
“In all, we will be prepared to deliver a 100 percent electric coach that performs the same or better than our current clean diesel, hybrid and CNG models,” said Vice President of Public Sector Tom Wagner. “Our electric development has been accelerated with the assistance from our sister company (New Flyer), supporting us with their many years of experience producing electric buses.”
The tour will be the first time the riding public will experience the D45 CRTe LE CHARGE, but industry insiders got a sneak peek Oct. 1 at the Bay Area Reliability Symposium at MCI’s Hayward Service Center (4120 Point Eden Way), a busy hub for mass transit, tour and charter operators, and high-profile private employee transportation programs.
“We see the electric version of our next generation D-Series model as a game-changer in commuter express transportation at a time when public and private transit operators are considering their zero-emissions options,” said Maitland. “The MCI D45 CRTe LE CHARGE follows our long-range J4500e CHARGE, the electric version of our luxury tour and charter coach with J deliveries beginning in 2020. It’s a lineup that’s ready to lead.”
The MCI D45 CRTe LE CHARGE will feature a 750 V high-torque Siemens electric drive motor with 350 HP and maximum torque of 3,320 ft-lb, powered by a 389 kWh energy storage system (also available up to 544 kWh) built on the ultra-high energy NMC lithium-ion cell platform from US-based XALT Energy. To meet long-distance commuter needs, this model’s high-power plug-in battery follows the J1772 interoperability standard, and charges to full in less than 3 hours with a 150 kW in-depot charger.
The model is also equipped with MCI Connect Telematics, a system that measures key performance metrics including distance and time on route, auxiliary systems, along with battery efficiencies related to grade, and ambient temperature in real time.
Besides its breakthrough technologies, the D45 CRTe LE CHARGE features a revolutionary patented LE (Low Entry) vestibule with a seating area and a ramp that significantly improves dwell times and the boarding and ride experience for passengers with disabilities.
Visit mcicoach.com for more information.
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