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Some of the attendees present for the November 21 CLA meeting. Denver — In what Colorado Limousine Association (CLA) Secretary Jason Ramsey of Prestige Worldwide Transportation describes as a “standing-room only” meeting, more than 30 people turned out for the association’s November 21 member meeting for an evening that included guest speakers, statewide information, and association-specific topics.
Those in attendance heard detailed presentations from Amy Ford of the Colorado Department of Transportation, Jeremy Lee of Wells Fargo Finance, and George Kovach of Mutual Bank of Omaha. Lee also explained how his company helps finance “sedans and motorcoaches and everything in between,” according to Ramsey, while Kovach discussed traditional SVA lending for growing companies. Ford, meanwhile, provided an update on the reconstruction of interstate I-70 at the I-25 interchange.
“She said that we’re basically not going to be losing any lanes but we will see a shift in traffic patterns—so that was good news,” Ramsey said. He added that the “hot topic” of the meeting was the future of transportation technology, such as computer-driven pods. “They’ve had companies reach out to them to say that the technology is there, but they just don’t have the space to implement it at this point in time.”
While it’s mostly quiet on the Denver International Airport front, Ramsey emphasized that the CLA wants to remind everyone currently using switchable transponders that they need to get them reactivated at the airport by the December 15 cutoff date.
The association’s executive board is anticipating a message from state legislators this Wednesday, November 22, with a list detailing 2018 PUC proposals, which will be discussed during a special executive board meeting the following morning. While Ramsey said that the board is obviously withholding any opinions and actions until its members see what the new year has in store for transportation operators, one potential item is already of considerable concern to the CLA.
“We’ve been hearing that they want to take away bench seating in Sprinter and Transit vans,” Ramsey said. “90 percent of executive vans being operated here have bench seating, so the language that defines luxury limousines could change. It’s one of those things that don’t make much sense to anybody: It would put a lot of people at a very, very significant disadvantage. So we have our eye on that possibility.”
Toward the end of the evening, members discussed how a PUC sampling of 200 Uber drivers in the past 18 months yielded the discovery that more than a quarter—57 drivers—“should have not been allowed on the platform under state law.”
“Among the findings of the investigation were 12 drivers with felony convictions; 17 drivers with major moving vehicle violations; three drivers with interlock driver’s licenses, which are required after recent drunk driving convictions; and 63 drivers with driver’s license issues,” a press release from the association states.
Ramsey added that the CLA has asked the PUC to perform a complete audit of all TNC companies’ platforms, while noting that the PUC’s $8.9M fine would be reduced by nearly half if Uber pays it within 10 days.
“That’s a drop in the bucket,” he said. “For such a small sampling over a year and a half, we think the PUC needs to examine TNCs more closely when a random sample has so many risks to public safety. it doesn’t bode well, especially when we have limousine companies that go through a fingerprint process TNCs aren’t subject to.”
The next CLA event will be its annual holiday party on December 5, where Ramsey said guests will have a chance to win more than $500 worth of prizes.
CLA will kick off 2018 with a January 16 membership meeting at a new location—Ecotech Institute in Aurora—and with elections for the new year’s board.
Visit cololimo.org for more information.
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Board members of the VLA after their recent election to the board Fredricksburg, Va. — On November 20, Virginia Limousine Association (VLA) hosted its first-ever Executive Board Retreat, where an intimate gathering of the board and a pair of vendor members met up to ensure that the association remains advantageously positioned to face the future. CD’s Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela also serves as VLA’s executive director, and was present for the event.
Jagiela began the retreat on a lighthearted note, including a humorous questionnaire that highlighted the purpose of the gathering: the chance to “examine issues in far more depth than is possible in board meetings.” That conversation explored topics like crafting a fundraising strategy, re-examining the association’s mission and vision, sponsorship programs, and organizational structures.
Rewriting the association’s mission statement alone was a two-hour process as retreat-goers wracked their brains to craft an assertion that wholly reflected the ideals that the VLA strives for, embraces, and upholds.
According to its newly revised statement, the VLA’s “mission is to promote a stronger relationship and understanding between legal owner/operators, VA Department of Motor Vehicles, other government agencies and the public to work toward the betterment of the chauffeured transportation industry.” The association emphasizes its dedication to promoting professional and ethical behavior, pursuit of fair and equitable regulations, prioritizing education and safety, and elevate the industry’s reputation while seeking global partnerships with similar organizations. Ultimately, the association aims “to promote confidence and growth in the chauffeured transportation industry across the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Member engagement was also a focal point of the day’s conversation. In order to reach out to prospective members or current ones who might be somewhat intimidated by bigger meetings, “breakout meetings” were suggested as a way to facilitate small-group conversation to ensure that every voice gets heard.
The executive board members were keen on ramping up VLA’s communication efforts, starting with a bimonthly newsletter that will aim to highlight a member and a vendor each month, as well as deliver some educational insight to recipients. Education itself was a broader conversation,
Of course, proactive external involvement is a crucial piece of the puzzle, too, and retreat attendees endeavored to explore ways to strengthen legislative relationships, craft speaking points for appealing to regulatory bodies and representatives, and determine members’ 2018 needs.
The next VLA member event will be the association’s December 4 holiday party.
Visit vla-limo.org for more information.
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The November 14 MCTA meeting hosted a packed house Minneapolis — The Minnesota Chauffeured Transportation Association (MCTA) met up on November 14 for a meeting chock-full of information and speakers, plus the election of the 2018 board. Outgoing MCTA President Len Nelson of Valley Limousine & Coach kicked off the meeting with his report before turning the floor over to evening’s speakers. Jeremy Lee of Wells Fargo Finance, Mike McKay of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Steve Holes of the Metropolitan Airport Commission, Todd Anderson from Carey Limousine, and attorneys from law firm Lockridge Grindal Nauen all shared a range of insights and information with the meeting’s nearly 30 attendees.
With Super Bowl LII coming to Minneapolis in February, operators are primed for an uptick in business—and immersed in planning and coordinating all the moving parts that come with handling transportation for one of professional sports’ biggest days of the year. Having found success with the casual Happy Hours the association debuted earlier this year, MCTA is currently planning another one for January in order to focus on additional Super Bowl plans. Anderson reminded everyone that the Super Bowl LII Transportation Committee will be meeting December 4 to discuss chauffeur background checks, drop-off areas, game day passes, and more.
Outgoing Vice President Charlie Murray of Total Luxury Limousine reported that Minneapolis’ January 1, 2018, rise in minimum wage will affect all companies that do work in the city, not just those based in the city. He added that operators should pay attention to a similar push for a minimum-wage increase in St. Paul.
At the end of the meeting, the 2018 MCTA Board of Directors was unanimously elected as the following:
President: Charlie Murray of Total Luxury Limousine
Vice President: Gus Ortiz of Executive Transportation
Secretary/Treasurer: Chad Peterson of Renee’s Royal Valet
Outgoing President Nelson and Secretary/Treasurer Gina Brennan of Corporate Car & Coach were thanked for their many years of serving on MCTA’s board in various capacities.
MCTA is currently planning membership meetings for both January and March, with plans to host a holiday party in February.
Visit mnlimo.org for more information.
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