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L to R: NELA Executive Director Rick Szilagyi, NELA Director Wayne Cipullo of Great Bay Limousine, and Guest Speaker Billy SheehanSaugus, Mass. — When the New England Livery Association (NELA) convened for its most recent membership meeting September 12, nearly dozens of members were in attendance for an evening of networking and industry updates. Chauffeur Driven Director of Events Jess Pavlow was on hand for the association’s quarterly gathering.
Summer saw NELA, its members, and the board run annual events like Chauffeur Appreciation Day and the golf fundraiser, plus NLA’s yearly Day on the Hill and various lobbying efforts to reach out to the New England region’s elected officials. Meeting on the cusp of summer and fall gave the assembled members a chance to regroup and catch up as everyone’s schedules returned to business as usual.
NELA’s Director Wayne Cipullo of Great Bay Limousine and Secretary Lynda Saitta of Momentum DriveAfter a casual cocktail hour, the meeting began with NELA Executive Director Rick Szilagyi welcoming everyone and introducing the slate of featured speakers.
Scott Solombrino of Dav El/BostonCoach stressed the importance of participating in the industry’s regional and national associations, as strength in numbers is increasingly important as NELA and New England operators continually fight for not only more stringent vetting processes for Uber and Lyft drivers but also the same dispensations extended to and regulations governing TNCs.
CD Director of Events Jess Pavlow with winner of the pass to the 2017 Chauffeur Driven Show, Kevin Cronin of Above All TransportationSolombrino added that he’d received word from The Boston Globe, which reported extensively on the chauffeured ground transportation industry’s efforts to bring about increased passenger safety and a more level playing field, that last year’s successful passage of a driver tax for TNCs has yet to be implemented. Meetings are currently in the works to address and resolve this delayed implementation.
Billy Sheehan—perhaps better known as “Billy the Coach”—then shared his insights with the audience. As an executive health and performance coach, Sheehan has observed a positive correlation between making healthy choices and a significant uptick in one’s functional capacity. He spoke about the importance of making healthy choices to better one’s life to improve both its quality and one’s performance.
L to R: Lew Aflalo of United Private Car, Michael Lyndsey of Driver Schedule, Scott and Anthony Solombrino of Dav El/BostonCoach, and Dan Morgan of Advantage FundingDuring the meeting, Michael Lyndsey of Driver Schedule—and also the founder of Connecticut’s Lyndsey Limousine—discussed his product’s platform and how he founded it as “a solution to the growth and management challenges of a large staff of chauffeurs with constantly changing availability.”
Raffles and drawings closed out the night. Pavlow, who spoke about how Chauffeur Driven supports the industry and its associations while also detailing what the 2017 CD Show will offer its attendees, contributed to the raffle with a show pass. Kevin Cronin of Above All Transportation was the lucky winner.
The next NELA meeting will be its holiday party December 11.
Visit nelivery.org for more information.
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CD Editor Rob Smentek (left) with Orlando Show pass winner Doug Kemmerer of Corporate LimoDoylestown, Pa. — Fred Beans Ford of Doylestown was host to a general membership meeting of the Philadelphia Regional Limousine Association (PRLA) on September 13. More than 25 members and guests were in attendance at the meeting, including Chauffeur Driven Editor Rob Smentek and Business Development Manager Rickie Roberts.
After a buffet dinner, PRLA President Steve Rhoads of Rhoads Limousine kicked things off with a brief overview of proposed legislation in the state capital affecting the FHV industry. Recently Pa. State Representative Francis X. Ryan filed an amendment that would remove Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) oversight over the taxi and limousine industries. With the PPA in a state of “implosion”—due to layoffs and a lack of revenue—the auspices of the city’s FHVs may turn over to the Public Utility Commission. The PRLA’s lobbyist promises to keep the association informed of any further developments.
Anthony Oranato of Anthony Limousine with CD Business Development Manager Rickie RobertsRhoads also recounted a recent phone conversation he had with a taxi driver in Scranton, who recounted the city’s situation with the TNCs. He said that “Uber is killing” the taxi industry upstate, and was looking for advice from PRLA. Rhoads gave the driver an open invitation to attend future meetings.
Next two representatives from T-Mobile addressed the group, providing an overview of the products and services they offer the ground transportation industry. Then, Chris Burns, Fred Beans’ livery sales and leasing consultant, thanked the members for attended and encouraged them to browse the showroom. He also informed them of an extended warranty on a few new models.
Following a round table discussion regarding vendor demonstrations at future meetings, a pass to the 2017 Chauffeur Driven Show was raffled off by Smentek and Roberts. The winner was Doug Kemmerer of Corporate Limo in Breinigsville. Lastly, with new board elections coming before the year’s end, Rhoads, asked any members interested to consider throwing their name into the ring. The meeting then concluded with a showroom/lot tour.
Visit prlainc.com for more information.
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Long Island City, N.Y. — The Limousine Association of New York (LANY) will host a general-membership meeting Tuesday, September 19, at Farrell Limousine. It will be open to all luxury ground transportation operators in the New York City metro area—including those who aren’t association members.
After surviving a crushing recession that lasted almost a decade and dealing with TNCs’ disruption, the LANY meeting will tackle a number of pressing issues affecting the industry’s survival.
“I don’t want to be an alarmist, but our industry is in crisis,” said LANY President Jeff Rose of Attitude New York. “The regulatory process has become so politicized with decisions and new regulations coming more and more from the New York City Council, the mayor’s office, and Albany, not to mention the federal government. For decades, a small group of members has fought for our industry segment; now, we must be able to demonstrate that we speak for thousands of hard-working men and women. LANY is the best way to do this, and we all need the association to be as strong as possible.”
On top of the sales tax, paid sick leave, data collection, fatigue rules, enhanced chauffeur license requirements, and so much more, the Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) has proposed a new regulation that would require all for-hire vehicle (FHV) bases to dispatch 25 percent of all jobs into wheelchair accessible vehicles.
This proposed new rule threatens the very existence of the industry, and has a powerful group of advocates supporting it. It is critical to prove that there are better solutions to providing WAV service in the NYC market: The industry must demonstrate strong numbers in terms of jobs provided and other contributions to economic activity, as well as our importance to the city's transportation system.
Working alongside other industry associations, such as The Black Car Assistance Corp. and the Limousine, Bus, Taxi Operators of Upstate New York, LANY has made headway on a number of issues. They include convincing the TLC to amend its original fatigue-rules proposal, allowing one-touch two-way radios, and getting the port authority to put aside proposed airport usage fees that would have cost bases tens of thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours in compliance efforts.
To RSVP for the meeting, send an email to Thelany.info@gmail.com.
Visit thelany.com/LANYrecruitingLetter.pdf for more information about LANY.
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