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Winter Garden, Fla. — Prevost, a member of Volvo Group, is very proud to announce the opening of its new service center in Orlando. With this addition, the company’s parts and service network is growing again after the opening of four new service centers in North America last year, totalling 15. In addition, the service network is supported by more than 190 bus certified Volvo Truck locations.
The Orlando service center, which opened for business at the end of August, supports local economy as it required investments of $6 million and plans to hire up to 50 employees. It is a full-service facility and staffed by technicians who are factory trained to work on Prevost, Nova Bus, and Volvo motorcoaches, as well as other motorcoach brands.
“The efforts and investments we make in continually expanding our network of service centers reflect the importance the Volvo Group places on our American customer base,” said Håkan Agnevall, president of Volvo Buses. “We aim not only to satisfy our customers by providing quality, reliable, and sustainable coaches, but also by providing better access to the best services.”
“The opening of this service center is a new demonstration of our commitment to get closer to our customers, meet their needs efficiently and better serve them,” said François Tremblay, vice president and general manager for Prevost. “The Orlando location brings the total of Prevost owned and operated service centers to 15, nearly double the size of the largest competitor network in the North American Market.”
“Our goal is to ensure that our customers have access to our services easily. Thus, by growing the number of service centers and combining them with our fleet of mobile vans, we’re offering to our customers more options, more accessibility and more flexibility,” added Randy Castillo, services network director for Prevost.
“As Mayor of Winter Garden, it is with great enthusiasm that I welcome the opening of the Prevost Service Center here in Winter Garden. I am delighted that we’re able to attract investment from companies of this importance. I'm sure this facilitates continued economic development and demonstrates a true commitment to job creation in our community,” said Mayor John Rees.
Visit prevostcar.com for more information.
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One of Sunshine Shuttle’s BYD electric buses
Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. — Sunshine Shuttle and Limousine has announced plans to bring alternative energy multi-passenger vehicles to NW Florida. The company is working with Build Your Dreams (BYD), a manufacturer of zero-emission passenger vehicles. Thanks to its technology, U.S. companies using BYD vehicles have saved a combined 27,000,000 gallons of fuel. In addition to the fuel, those savings hint at the daily wear and tear on infrastructure due to a decrease in passenger vehicles on the road.
“Take a look at Hwy 98 these days,” said John Finch, CEO of Sunshine Shuttle & Limousine. “Hurricane Michael brought hundreds of contractors commuting back and forth to Panama City everyday. You think traffic is bad now? This will be the new normal if we don’t get our priorities straight. We see this every summer, and there are no signs of it letting up.”
Finch hopes to bring BYD’s technology and vehicles to Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay Counties.
“I invite all business and government leaders to come see this new vehicle and get a glimpse of NW Florida’s future,” added Finch. “Think of the savings to the state in fuel costs. This is not a pipe dream. Our partner, BYD, is the global leader in battery-electric passenger vehicles, with more than 35,000 buses in service across 200 cities, 50 countries, and six continents.”
In a press release touting California’s new Lancaster plant, Stella Li, president of BYD, said, “We’re proud of our BYD North America team, working every day to produce quality electric transportation that will provide a cleaner environment around the nation. Our model proves that going green can be good for the economy, good for workers, and good for America.”
Added Finch, “The time is right to get moving on this concept. The crowds keep coming and we’re doing nothing about it. The reality is, if we don’t adapt soon, other destinations will, and NW Florida will become like the old Yogi Berra joke, ‘Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded’.”
Visit sunshineshuttle.com for more information.
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Newly installed 2018-2019 TLPA President Terry O’Toole (right, with Past TLPA President Dwight Kines to his immediate left) chats with conference attendees
Las Vegas — Last month’s 100th Annual Convention & Trade Show of the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) offered a jam-packed schedule, top-notch speakers, and all that Vegas has to offer, over the course of this historic three-day event, which was held October 27-29.
People tried to crash a car. They partied at a mansion overlooking Sin City. They played golf just off the city’s world-famous Strip. They signed business deals, made new friends, soaked up knowledge in educational sessions, and forged new partnerships.
The Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Foundation Golf Tournament, sponsored by Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc. kicked off the convention at the Bali Hai Golf Club Saturday morning. Golfers hit the links on the beautiful 18-hole course, a tropical oasis just off the Vegas strip.
Outgoing TLPA President Mike Pinckard addresses the audience in one of his final speeches as the association’s president
Dueling Pianos entertained hundreds of top transportation executives from around the world at the convention’s Kick-Off Party. The performing pair provided the perfect ambiance of recognizable musical covers as attendees caught up over hors d’oeuvres and an open bar from, the latter of which was sponsored by The Black Car Fund.
Sunday morning got underway with a delicious aroma of breakfast. Then, during three sets of concurrent Learning Labs, transportation experts delved into the latest industry topics, including innovative technologies, market trends, and workforce and driver management—all while a hot breakfast was served in each meeting room.
Ford Motor Company let attendees get behind the wheel of a vehicle with automatic braking capabilities designed to prevent collisions, which was part of a hands-on driving exhibition featuring Ford’s All-New Taxi vehicle line-up.
TLPA’s 100th annual convention brought together ground transportation professionals from all walks of the industry
The Transportation Solutions MarketPlace was buzzing! Dozens of exhibitors packed the exhibition floor to showcase their products and services. The Grand Opening Party came complete with an open bar and Ford Motor Company-sponsored hors d’oeuvres.
Convention attendees were invited to the Monster Mansion overlooking Las Vegas. The evening had live music, food and drinks, as well as a collection of high-end cars available for viewing and cameos by a few celebrities.
The convention hosted three in-demand speakers from outside of the industry to share their strategic insights and best practices. They included Dennis Snow, a 20-year veteran from Walt Disney, Chris Jones, co-founder of Canalys, and Scott McKain, author of Create Distinction.
TLPA’s centennial convention concluded with a silent auction and reception, the perfect event to cap a packed-to-the-brim convention program.
Check back with the December 2018 issue of Chauffeur Driven for an in-depth look and tons of photos from this centennial event.
TLPA’s 2019 convention will return to Las Vegas from October 16-18.
Visit tlpa.org for more information.
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