- Details
- Category: Industry News
Essington, Pa. — 
Those in attendance included transportation vendors and operators The first general membership meeting of the United Passenger Transportation Association of Pennsylvania (UPTAPA) was held June 26, which was attended by Chauffeur Driven Editor Madeleine Maccar and Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela. Jagiela also serves as executive director of the new association.
Before the meeting even formally began, the intimate group of attendees quickly struck up an impassioned, frank conversation about TNCs, with particular focus on the gig model’s overall failings and also how its companies’ meteoric rise in popularity both created and perpetuates a public demand for them, making the likes of Uber and Lyft veritable powerhouses that have incited an indelible change in the for-hire vehicle game.
Much of the meeting was dedicated to establishing the goals of an association that was organized to unify all facets of ground transportation throughout the state, including taxis, paratransit, ambulances, school buses, airport shuttles, and livery.
Mike Barreto of Eagle Chauffeured Services and Douglas Rydbom of Premiere #1 Limousine represented the UPTAPA leadership team of operators, with Louis Weiner of All Star Limousine Worldwide unable to attend. Baretto kicked off the day’s agenda by explaining UPTAPA’s goals, philosophy, and focus. He said that with the May inaugural meeting attracting attendees from as far as New York and from transportation companies throughout Pennsylvania, there is a demonstrated need for a statewide association that bridges the gap among transportation providers.
CD Editor Madeleine Maccar and UPTAPA Executive Director Philip Jagiela Both he and Rydbom emphasized that the nascent association is not looking to compete with any others currently in existence; rather, that they were filling a void while assembling a greater presence for transportation providers and amassing a more effective conduit for increased efficiency and expediency in exchanging information.
“It’s all about the unity of Pennsylvania transportation,” Rydbom explained. “There’s a lot going on but we don’t always hear about it right away—sometimes, bus companies or other vendors know more than we do.”
“Our value proposition is to offer unity, legislative efforts, and strength in numbers for a bigger voice,” Barreto added. “There is no other statewide transportation association that aims to unify school buses, livery, taxis, and paratransit. We’re offering all Pennsylvania transportation outfits a unified front for a stronger presence on The Hill and strength in numbers in general.”
Indeed, the association plans to take to the state capital in Harrisburg for a Day on the Hill in November. It also divided the country’s sixth largest state into three smaller sections—Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh— to host a meeting twice a year to ensure that even the most far-flung potential members have a chance to attend the meetings geographically closet to them.
The association is currently looking to put a lobbyist in place to assist with its legislative agenda. Jagiela, who also works with other associations within the industry, provided a national perspective on how other more livery-centric associations are facing many of the same problems, and that the bigger and more successful ones have successfully leveraged their social media presence and digital communications to improve their reach and broadcast their message. He said it is of the utmost importance to adapt to these rapidly shifting times to remain not only relevant but also in business.
“This association is embracing change, not standing in the way of it or railing against it,” Jagiela promised.
The next UPTAPA meeting will be held in the Pittsburg region on September 27.
Visit uptapa.org for more information.
[CD0817]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
Saint Petersburg, Fla. — The Rental Limo team is announcing the launch of its video documentary series “Powered by Book.limo,” which showcases the positive effects that switching to Book.limo has had on various chauffeured transportation companies of all sizes.
The currently 10-episode series will be released on a bi-monthly schedule following the first episode’s premier, which can be seen on Facebook and YouTube starting today. It features Goldie Bhullar of Angel Worldwide Transportation based out of San Francisco, Calif., and can be seen below:
“We truly believe that our satisfied clients are the best salesmen we can get,” says Ryan Hilberth, Rental Limo/Book.limo founder and CEO. “We wanted to spread the word on the Book.limo effect with a more personal approach and deeper dive using video testimonials.”
Visit PoweredbyBook.limo to watch future episodes and book.limo for more information.
[CD0817]
- Details
- Category: Industry News
(L to R) Tom Quill of Royale and Amela and Brion Svenson of Four Star LimousinePeabody, Mass. — The New England Livery Association (NELA) took to the waterfront June 20 for its most recent quarterly membership meeting, which brought together 65 members and vendors at Spinelli’s overlooking Suntaug Lake.
Executive Director Rick Szilagyi kicked off the meeting, welcoming all in attendance and both introducing and thanking the evening’s sponsors, Chosen Payments, Create-A-Card, and Livery Coach.
Szilagyi and the meeting’s first speaker, Scott Solombrino of Dav El/BostonCoach, both were among those representing the industry’s New England presence last month for the National Limousine Association’s (NLA’s) annual Day on the Hill. This year’s installment of the lobbying event put several NELA members in front of their elected representatives, including senators Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Solombrino, who is also a board member of the NLA, shared the details and successes of the boots-on-the-ground day in Washington, D.C., as well as how important it is to have those face-to-face conversations with the nation’s legislators so they have a direct line to the industry’s unique concerns and challenges.
Lyndy Burnham of The Hudson Group (left) with guest speaker Surface Transportation Security Inspector Salvatore Venturelli of the TSAThen it was time to hear from the meeting’s guest speaker, Surface Transportation Security Inspector Salvatore Venturelli, who was on hand to explain the TSA’s new First Observer Plus program. The plan aims to assist transportation professional in becoming proactive ambassadors of airport safety by teaching them how to identify suspicious activity, offering them guidance in assessing what they see, and providing a method for reporting those observations that may merit further investigation. Ultimately, according to Venturelli, First Observer Plus is a way to help transportation professionals become key players in the air travel industry’s ongoing efforts to thwart terrorist attacks.
Anyone interested in participating in the TSA’s First Observer Plus online training program can visit tsa.gov/for-industry/firstobserver to find out more.
An array of raffles capped off the evening meeting, which included a pass to the 2017 Chauffeur Driven Show in Orlando this October that was won by Brion Svenson of Four Star Limousine.
Up next for NELA is the 18th Annual George Colarullo Memorial Golf Tournament, scheduled for August 8 at the Marlborough Country Club. Its next quarterly meeting will be September 12.
Visit nelivery.org for more information.
[CD0717]