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L to R: WLA Secretary/Treasurer Karen Lotts of A Knight Rider Limousine, WLA President Mike Hartmann of Stardust Limousine, Tracy Raimer of Your Private Limousine, and Brian Whitaker of Chicagoland Transportation Solutions
Milwaukee — The Wisconsin Limousine Association (WLA) convened for an in-person meeting at the Clarion Hotel Airport June 26. CD Editor Madeleine Maccar was among the 30 members and supporters on hand for the daylong event that delivered an array of educational presentations amid plenty of networking opportunities.
After President Mike Hartmann of Stardust Limousines kicked off the meeting, he got right down to business by presenting WLA’s reasons for wanting the state’s 5-percent fee eliminated, which has been a thorn in the Wisconsin livery industry’s side for years. The fee is paid on any SUV that can accommodate up to 10 passengers and is only imposed upon our industry, as taxis, buses, and, of course, TNCs are not required to pay that same 5 percent. And especially in instances where road conditions require an upgrade from a sedan to a safer, higher-occupancy vehicle, the rule can create extra headaches and work for operators.
“It’s a major problem because you open yourself up to an audit with all the paperwork that goes with the fee,” Hartmann said. “We had one senator try to get it eliminated, but that didn’t help. We have to stand up or our taxes are going to snowball.”
CD Editor Madeleine Maccar with Rich Linzmeier of StarGazer Limousine, who won a pass to the Chauffeur Driven 2016 Show in Washington, D.C.
Gary Goyke, WLA’s lobbyist and a former senator, was the first guest speaker of the day and offered a little bit of insight into the 5-percent fee, explaining that it would be difficult to repeal because it was introduced as part of package that would benefit from “every vehicle putting a nickel or a dime into paying for the roads.”
“It’s a very tough time for Wisconsin transportation right now,” he added. “There’s very little money in transportation’s coffers.”
He went on to explain how TNCs, especially Uber, operate in order to get so much done to their benefit—and behind the scenes in strategically selected areas where commercial transportation rules are vague enough so that any battle waged against the disruptors is “pretty much over as soon as it begins.”
“Their mode of operation is to work out of sight: no public notices, no above-board work, no public hearings,” said Goyke. “So when something like a hearing or schedule for passage is suddenly announced, we’re scrambling to get our people together while they already have theirs all lined up and ready to testify.”
Goyke went on to encourage all in attendance to become more proactive in or at least more knowledgeable of local and statewide government, especially in regard to identifying the elected officials who have thrown their support behind TNCs rather than homegrown and locally active services: “This is now part of your job as small-business owners. You have the leverage to stop them from getting re-elected.”
L to R: WLA members Rich Coffren of Telin Transportation Group, President Mike Hartmann of Stardust Limousine, Secretary/Treasurer Karen Lotts of A Knight Rider Limousine, and Samer Abulughod of Crystal Limousine & Coach.
In a show of regional solidarity, representatives from the Illinois Limousine Association (ILA)—President Tracy Raimer of Your Private Limousine, Vice President Brian Whitaker of Chicagoland Transportation Solutions, and Secretary/Treasurer Paula DiBiasi of Chicago Coachworks—were on hand, and both Wisconsin native Raimer and Whitaker spoke about the legislative and regulatory woes that WLA’s neighbors to the south have been facing for nearly four years, offering up their experiences and insights in the hopes of helping operators in one of the TNCs’ newest battlegrounds.
Most recently, members of the ILA have filed a lawsuit against Chicago for showing preferential treatment to TNCs, which has been an ongoing process punctuated by testimonies, hearings, small victories, and big headaches—including representatives from the state beyond its Chicago suburbs admitting that they generally vote in favor of TNCs without fully understanding the issue and “because that’s how Chicago voted.”
Raimer urged those in attendance to read through Uber’s terms of service, drawing particular attention to its refusal of lability in the event of passenger injury or even death. She and Whitaker also highlighted how any kind of enforcement that would level the playing field at Chicago’s airports was lax at best, how TNCs aren’t paying the same airport fees as legally operating services are but are still winning over public favor, and how operators need to beef up their technological components to be a viable player in the transportation game these days—and how the technology suppliers in the industry need to start working together so operators can, too.
Guest Speaker Sgt. Mark Abrahamson of Wisconsin State Patrol takes a question during his presentation
“We did need that technology shakeup that the disruptors brought but we will never again see the same industry we operated in five years ago,” Raimer said. “When TNCs first came to our market, we feared that we’d lose our relationship with the city of Chicago so we didn’t stick up for our industry—that was a huge mistake. We’re in survival mode now.”
Sgt. Mark Abrahamson of Wisconsin State Patrol then spoke about the state’s DOT regulations and enforcement, covering recent efforts to increase on-the-road safety and education on both a statewide and national level. While compliance with both DOT and FMCSA regulations were discussed at great length, Abrahamson also covered the differences between interstate and intrastate compliance, what constitutes a commercial motor vehicle in the legal sense, and how passenger capacity determines the applicability of each law governing the industry.
Since much of what Abrahamson covered have been thorny issues for Wisconsin operators, he also provided detailed lists about concerns like critical and acute violations of drug and alcohol policies, as well as safety audits and a flowchart and series of questions about both inter- and intrastate passenger-carrying vehicles, which can be accessed at goo.gl/IRCuJn.
Maccar closed out the speaker schedule for the day, discussing how Chauffeur Driven aims to assist the industry both in print and with its annual events. She also raffled off a pass to October’s CD Show in Washington, D.C., which was won by Rich Linzmeier of StarGazer Limousine.
The next WLA meeting will be its monthly conference call, scheduled for July 20.
Visit wisconsinlimo.org for more information.
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Orchard Park, N.Y. — Towne Automotive Group & Towne Livery is welcoming the brand-new 2017 Lincoln Continental in a big way. The Buffalo-based dealership is throwing a two-day welcome bash August 12-13 that includes an unveiling and test drives for the in-demand Lincoln flagship vehicle.
Until now, only a pre-production model was available, and even then, customers weren’t able to drive or kick the tires, as it were, by exploring the vehicle’s interior. David Bastian, commercial sales manager for Towne, says that his is one of the first dealerships in the nation to give customers what they are craving: the chance to drive it! All operators are invited to join the event, which will also include Towne’s retail customers. Bastian has posted a video of what customers can expect here: goo.gl/GCclJZ.
The event kicks off Friday night at Shea’s Performing Arts Center in downtown Buffalo. Guests are invited to join for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 6 pm, leading up to the stunning black Continental’s debut at 7 pm. Attendees will be able to sign up for an exclusive ride and drive, which will take place between 10 am and 4 pm the following day. Bastian says that money for every test drive will be donated by Towne to Kids Escaping Drugs, a Western New York organization that creates education and advocacy programs for adolescents and their families suffering from alcohol and drug addiction.
“Our customers are so excited about the Continental and we felt it needed a proper introduction,” says Bastian, who is spearheading the event. “People remember the style of the previous Continentals and are eager to get behind the wheel of this new vehicle. This is the event where they can do so—and we’re proud to be first in the nation to offer those test drives.” He adds that the event will be filmed with Go Pro cameras so that customers can see their reactions on social media. (Note: The vehicle will be black and will include many amenities specific to the Livery model.)
The event will also coincide with the Limousine, Bus, Taxi Operators of Upstate New York (LBTOUNY) meeting, which will be held at 5:45 pm at Coca-Cola Field. The hour-long meeting has a full docket, including updates on USDOT regulations, area TNCs, and the ongoing sales tax repeal. Attendees are invited to stay for the 7 pm baseball game between the Buffalo Bison and Pawtucket Red Sox. Those planning to attend should RSVP by email LimoInfo@LBTONY.com or by calling 716.683.7455.
Towne Auto has secured a room block at the Buffalo Marriott Harborcenter for $189 per night, August 12-14. Rooms can be booked online at goo.gl/q2dspw.
Attendees can RSVP for the event here: goo.gl/IpQshh.
Visit townelivery.com or send an email to dbastian@towneauto.com for more information.
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CD’s Director of Events Jess Pavlow (left) with Carey International’s Director of Global Sales Maria Charno
Atlantic City, N.J. — From June 11-14, Meeting Planners International (MPI) held its 2016 World Education Congress (WEC) in Harrah's Waterfront Conference Center, and CD’s Director of Events Jess Pavlow was on hand for a convention that offered certification opportunities, more than 80 educational sessions, insights from an array of speakers and peer conversations, and more, all crafted to benefit the meetings industry.
The event drew more than 2,000 attendees—44 percent of whom were planners and 56 percent were suppliers—to the New Jersey seaside town.
WEC, which is MPI’s annual signature event, kicked off its first day featured a schedule packed with specifically targeted forums and chances to get more hands-on education through the event’s on-site certification programs. That evening, the welcoming celebration took to nearby Bally's Beach Bar to end the first day with some high-energy networking.
Sunday saw opportunities like a session where first-time attendees learned how to get the most from their inaugural WEC experience, both the open general and numerous concurrent educational sessions, as well as several by-invitation groups that focused on specific facets of the industry. The open session included a discussion with SXSW’s Executive Director and Lead Planner and a presentation from Keynote Speaker Amy Blankson, the co-founder of GoodThink.
Comedienne and former Miss New Jersey Dena Blizzard was the host of MPI’s 2016 WEC
After a morning of assemblies, research presentations, and classes, Monday afternoon’s RISE Awards presented seven awards across three categories—individual achievement, community achievement, and organizational achievement—to meeting and events industry professionals who have demonstrated exceptional achievements.
“We salute each of these leaders who were nominated by their peers for outstanding contributions and performance,” said MPI President and CEO Paul Van Deventer. “Their achievements will be recognized within our global community for years to come.”
The conference’s final day capped off the event with highlights that included the Innovation Showcase, MPI Town Hall, and a preview of MPI’s 2017 WEC—and a closing night celebration that took the party to Harrah’s poolside.
The 2017 WEC will be held in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand from June 19-22.
Visit mpiweb.org for more information.
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