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TLPA President Dwight Kines
Rockville, Md. — Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) President Dwight Kines took to the organization’s website on August 10 to unveil Fleet Forward, an initiative that aims to counteract the rapid changes within the livery industry by promoting different ways that its companies are getting creative with their operations.
“I’m proud of the many positive ways our industry is evolving, from new apps to new business lines to a renewed focus on customer service,” Kines wrote on the Fleet Forward blog (tlpa.org/Fleet-Forward-Blog). “Many of these changes that may be well-known inside your companies, while other changes may not have attracted attention outside of your own operations, either among the public or your industry peers.”
The driving idea? TLPA members can inspire and communicate with others by bringing their stories and innovative business practices directly to their peers via the Fleet Forward blog.
“We aim to strengthen internal messaging to current and prospective TLPA members and, when possible, help tell those stories to broader audiences. And in order in order for this to work best, we want to hear from you,” Kines shared.
Using social media platforms, video, and more, the TLPA will showcase its members and their stories, and encourages those interested in participating to join the conversation, especially by sending stories about evolving fleets and outside-the-box thinking to John Boit of TLPA’s PR firm Melwood Global by emailing jboit@melwoodglobal.com.
The Fleet Forward plans include:
• Using social media to share messages and ideas, so now’s the time to join the conversation on platforms like Twitter and Facebook;
• Creating more short, informative, and engaging video content, bolstered by TLPA’s success with effectively harnessing the power of video during its Legislative Fly-In Event this past June;
• Increasing focus on some of the exceptional women leaders within the transportation industry to illustrate the industry’s gender diversity;
• Embracing webinars to create informational, educational opportunities for members between TLPA’s yearly conferences, with plans to host at least two webinars before 2017; and
• Conducting more polls, both through members and the public, with internal efforts to identify the questions that TLPA members are especially interested in having answered—especially if there’s a broader audience appeal.
“By imparting new ideas, showcasing best practices, and communicating them through multiple channels, we believe we can strengthen companies’ relationship with TLPA,” Kines wrote. “Helping members inspire others is the way to strengthen the industry and the association in the process.”
TLPA’s next event is its 98th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Phoenix from November 1-4.
Visit tlpa.org for more information.
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Vice President of Business Development Kim Bratton-Tubbs
Houston —TBL Group, owner of the AFC/ECHO Transportation brands, has recently hired Ms. Kim Bratton-Tubbs to the position of vice president business development. With over 30 years in the ground transportation industry, Tubbs brings a wealth of industry knowledge and experience to her new role with the Texas-based ground transportation leaders.
Tubbs will direct and coordinate all company sales and marketing efforts, including oversight and management of all public relations and marketing-related activities, as well as business development including market research, strategic planning, and strategic account development. In her leadership position, Tubbs will identify and develop strategic relationships with partners and potential customers. She will develop a pipeline of new customers and projects in key strategic accounts through customer contact and negotiations, working with marketing, sales and product development teams to implement business development initiatives.
“I am tremendously excited to join TBL Group. This is a wonderful opportunity to join a remarkable team with great vision and unlimited growth potential,” said Tubbs.
Tubbs’ extensive experience in the group travel and ground transportation industry includes former positions with Coach America, US Coachways, and Laidlaw (Greyhound Travel Services). She has also held executive and supervisory posts with market leading transportation providers, including Bell Trans, Coach USA, and Las Vegas Tonopah Reno Stage Lines. Within these positions, Tubbs led numerous sales and marketing initiatives, controlled day-to-day operations and effectively increased operations efficiency, achieved and surpassed revenue and safety goals, and developed and launched national branding campaigns.
Tubbs has been recognized for her industry contributions and is the recipient of the Women of Achievement Award/Tour and Travel and the Distinguished Women of Southern Nevada Award. Additionally, she has served in the following chair roles: Transportation Logistics Chair for the Western and National Governors’ Conference and Transportation Logistics Chair for The Governor’s Conference on Tour and Travel.
“With her strong background in sales and marketing, as well as business operations, Kim is a rare find for our organization,” said John Ferrari, CEO, TBL Group. “Her cross-disciplines and knowledge span the full spectrum of operations and will greatly enhance our efforts to mine new market opportunities that align with TBL’s overall business strategy.”
Visit afchouston.com or echotransportation.com for more information.
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West Suburban Limousine’s Danielle Slamans, vice president of client services, and Scott Simkus, vice president of operations
Winfield, Ill. — West Suburban Limousine (WSL) is pleased to announce they are entering their 50th fiftieth year of business this fall. Founded in 1966 by Ray Hiltunen and Bert Homan out of a basement in Glen Ellyn, Ill., the company began with a handful of vehicles handling a few dozen trips per week. The business quickly grew, and now more than 10 million people have used the car service over the years, with a 99.7% satisfaction level.
The company is still owned by the Hiltunen family, with the third generation now helping run the business from its Winfield headquarters. WSL employs 30 full- and part-time workers, and operates with more than 100 independent contractors.
“The key to our continued success is personal service,” explained Scott Simkus, WSL’s Vice-President of Operations. “It’s become an extremely competitive industry, with suburban taxi cabs and app-based companies such as Uber entering the market, but we continue to see amazing loyalty from our clients due to the things we do better than anybody else, and the fact we do these things at an affordable price.”
Duty of care is of prime importance to WSL, as that the company’s full-time, professional chauffeurs have been trained, background checked, drug tested and fully vetted. The majority of their vehicles are less than two model years old, clean, and safe, while their insurance levels are five times the level of most Uber-X vehicles, or suburban taxis.
“We are an authentic, traditional chauffeur car service,” added Simkus, “which means our chauffeurs wear suits and ties, are on time, help with luggage, and get our clients from point A to point B in a safe and smooth manner. And the things we do for our corporate clients, from on-site dispatching at events, to customized reporting to match their accounting department’s needs, is unmatched in the Chicago market.”
Visit westsublimo.com for more information.
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