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L to R: T.J. Ely and Bill Fellbaum of Broagn Cadillac and LANJ President Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite
Totowa, N.J. — With more than 100 registered attendees expected, the Limousine Association of New Jersey (LANJ) held its first meeting hosted by Brogan Cadillac on March 13, where CD’s Editor Madeleine Maccar and Business Development Manager Diane Druss were also present for the packed house.
After LANJ President Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite kicked off the afternoon meeting, Bill Fellbaum and T.J. Ely thanked everyone for making the trip to the North Jersey dealership—the impeccability of which Fellbaum is so confident in that he joked “you can all eat off the floors here”—before answering a few questions about how Cadillac and its dealerships plan on handling the end of the XTS.
Dawson Rutter of Commonwealth Worldwide
Sharenow then discussed the ongoing statewide issue of legalized marijuana and the industry’s wariness regarding that potential legislature, based on safety reports from states where legalization has already been implemented. He also warned of the Congestion Tax that companies performing work between New Jersey and New York are vulnerable to.
The association also has a few initiatives and events in the works, with its annual fundraising Auction and Dinner at the Grand Wilshire in West Orange scheduled for May 22—which is always looking for item donations—and LANJ’s third annual golf outing and cocktail reception happening September 15 at Cherry Valley Country Club in Skillman.
With LANJ Director Howard Gogel of My Limousine Service spearheading Be Safe Rides, an activist endeavor with a growing social media presence that aims to both educate and connect with “C-suite executives” in the hopes of directly influencing their transportation decisions. Instead of directing its message at corporate transportation departments, Be Safe Rides goes directly to those executives who rely on TNCs during business hours and trips to arm them with the knowledge that they’re placing their lives in strangers’ hands every time they ride with drivers whose backgrounds remain unchecked and were never put through the rigorous safety training programs that regulated chauffeured ground transportation operations swear by. LANJ invites all who wish to support Be Safe Rides and its message to like and follow the outreach initiative on Facebook.
More than 100 guests attended the March 13 LANJ meeting
The meeting’s keynote speaker was Dawson Rutter of Commonwealth Worldwide, who Sharenow described as a “patriarch of this industry.” Rutter’s decades in the industry provided a wealth of personal anecdotes to illustrate his experiences both within the luxury side of the ground transportation industry and beginnings as a taxi driver, demonstrating how “the lessons you learn at 25 can still resonate at 67.”
Rutter explained how he learned by trial and error, grew cautiously and with the help of smart, trustworthy employees and advisers, survived The Great Recession of 2009 with quick action and foresight, benefited from mentors’ and peers’ insights, as well as outlined how to craft an exit strategy and detailed why TNCs will never match the safety and consistency that this industry delivers. But most of all, he lauded the value in “not being a victim of karma” and working hard.
Chauffeur Driven Editor Madeleine Maccar (left) and Business Development Manager Diane Druss with winner of the pass to CD’s 2019 Executive Retreat Elvis Guillermo of Kingz Transportation
“The harder I work, the luckier I get—because hard work is the foundation of Commonwealth Worldwide’s success and it’s the only way to run a successful business that I know of,” Rutter said.
After Rutter held a Q&A session, Maccar and Druss auctioned off a pass to the Chauffeur Driven 2019 Executive Retreat in Austin this May 5-8, which was won by Elvis Guillermo of Kingz Transportation.
The next LANJ event will be its annual Dinner and Auction May 22.
Visit lanj.org for more information.
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Winner of the CD Show Pass Deb Miner of ASL Limousine (left) with Britt Kirk of All Points Limousine
Saugus, Mass. — The New England Livery Association (NELA) welcomed 70 attendees to its March 12 meeting at Kowloon Restaurant, which was co-sponsored by DavEl/Boston Coach and Boston Car Service/Above All Transportation.
The evening started with a cocktail hour, where new and prospective members mingled with long-timers. Everyone had a chance to peruse the prize table to decide which raffle tickets to purchase for the evening’s drawing, while the networking table allowed operators and vendors alike to share business cards and brochures.
After dinner, sponsors and board members were introduced to attendees and NELA Executive Director Rick Szilagyi encouraged everyone to fill out surveys that will help the association plan its future membership meetings. He then offered a brief review of the legislation NELA guided to passage in 2016, which added more stringent backgrounds checks to TNC drivers and currently prevents 15 percent of TNC-approved drivers from being permitted, as well as created the Transportation Infrastructure Enhancement Trust Fund—a fund that’s financed by TNCs remitting 20 cents for every TNC ride in Massachusetts for five years, with five cents from every 20 set aside for taxi and luxury ground transportation industries.
The March 12 meeting welcomed 70 members to Kowloon Restaurant
Szilagyi ended his update with a warning about endorsing Boston Mayor Marty Walsh’s desire to cap TNC cars in the city, referring to a similar cap in NYC that ultimately included traditional operators, too.
Scott Solombrino of DavEl/Boston Coach discussed the recent Uber settlement case involving arbitration with drivers. He pointed out that the NLA is pursuing information on TNC drivers and unpaid taxes owed to 1099 workers, pointing out that due to the sheer volume of drivers who’ve been denied monetary compensation, there is reason to hope the IRS will want to pursue the case. Brett Barenholtz of Boston Car Service/Above All Transportation then thanked Solombrino for his involvement in the industry and, on behalf of the NLA, reminded everyone that the national association’s Day on the Hill is scheduled for June 5-6 in Washington, D.C.
After various sponsors and members took their turns at the mic, the meeting’s speakers addressed meeting-goers. First up was Economic Development Planner Josh Eichen of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, who expounded upon the Transportation Infrastructure Enhancement Fund (TIEF). The agency is currently engaging with operators to determine how the money would best benefit our industry. NELA has already been working with members to gather information, and asks all members to keep an eye for a survey to assist in this process.
NELA members enjoy each other’s company during the meeting
Paul Furbush II of the U.S. Department of Labor discussed programs to support veterans, as he works as the Regional Veteran’s Employment Coordinator, while MassHire was represented by U.S. Army Veteran and Veteran’s Business Representative Christopher Mills and Business Services/Rapid Response Manager Ken Messina; Becky Laramee of All Points Limousine shared part of her positive experience with MassHire.
A pass to the 2019 Chauffeur Driven Show in Boston from October 13-16 was raffled off and won by Deb Miner of ASL Limousine.
The next NELA events are its June 6 Chauffeur Appreciation Day and June 11 membership meeting.
Visit nelivery.org for more information.
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Enhancing the Private Ground Transportation Industry Together
Marlton, N.J. (March 22, 2019) — The National Limousine Association (NLA) is proud to announce its new global partnership with Chauffeur Driven (CD)‚ the leading worldwide resource for luxury ground transportation.
Operating as the professional employer organization for the NLA‚ Chauffeur Driven will assist with daily management resources for the non-profit association. In turn‚ CD will provide opportunity for faster growth and development for the NLA by affording the NLA board the necessary resources to create improved systems and experiences the world over.
“The NLA has worked diligently to forge and develop a partnership that would greatly benefit all our beloved staff and members‚” said Gary Buffo‚ President of the NLA. “We are thrilled to partner with a company that shares our values and goals‚ namely to support the NLA’s growth and prosperity. My hat is off to our tremendously dedicated board of directors‚ who led our organization in this auspicious step forward for our specialized industry.”
The synergy between these pillars of the industry will serve to advance the NLA’s expansion‚ resources and membership offerings. Through this partnership‚ the NLA can now infuse operator‚ vendor‚ and supplier buying networks during two annual shows‚ as well as Chauffeur Driven’s Annual Executive Retreat.
“We could not be more excited to join forces with the National Limousine Association‚” states Chris Weiss‚ President & Publisher of Chauffeur Driven. “Between the sharp minds and incredibly valuable resources at the NLA‚ and the talented team we have assembled at CD‚ we are poised to co-brand and elevate the level of both the fall and Vegas Shows. This partnership is beneficial not only to the NLA and Chauffeur Driven‚ but also to the industry at large.”
What’s more‚ NLA and Chauffeur Driven will host a new industry show in Las Vegas‚ taking place at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino February 23-26‚ 2020. The show will provide the ideal environment for industry networking‚ as well as valuable world-class education helpful for both business and personal takeaway. Exclusive events that will take place during the show include the Operator Mentoring Program, Affiliate Central Global Partner Forum‚ and the Owner’s Game.
ABOUT CHAUFFEUR DRIVEN:
Chauffeur Driven (CD) is the luxury ground transportation industry's leading and most-trusted global resource. Chauffeur Driven Magazine is a monthly B2B publication that focuses on all aspects of the luxury chauffeured ground transportation industry internationally. Each issue contains valuable‚ hands-on information for running a more profitable and efficient business – offering proven tips and insights from successful operators across the country and around the world.
For additional information on Chauffeur Driven‚ please visit chauffeurdriven.com.
ABOUT THE NLA:
The National Limousine Association is a non-profit organization responsible for and dedicated to representing the interests of the private driver transportation industry at the global‚ national‚ state‚ and local level. It is the unified voice of this industry – linking transportation industry professionals from owners and operators to suppliers‚ manufacturers‚ regional and state limousine associations. With more than 2‚000 NLA members‚ the Association is committed to exceeding expectations with regards to professionalism‚ transportation efficiency and safe riding.
For additional information on the NLA‚ please visit limo.org.
Media Queries:
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Matthew Berritt: (212) 377-3577
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David.Harrison@Evins.com