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YPL Founder and ILA President Tracy Raimer
Buffalo Grove, Ill — Your Private Limo (YPL) has recently been recognized as a majority woman-owned business by Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Tracy Raimer, founder and president, has owned YPL for 20 years. She is also the president of the Illinois Limousine Association.
Recognition by WBENC is highly sought-after. A WBENC-certified Women’s Business Enterprise is a U.S. business that is managed and operated by a woman with industry experience and is at least 51 percent owned by a woman. According to WBENC.com, WBENC Certification gives women owned businesses the ability to compete for real-time business opportunities provided by WBENC Corporate Members and government agencies.
For Raimer, achieving WBENC certification was an important strategic move as well as recognition of her years in the industry. She started her own limo company in 1996 as sole driver for one vehicle while working two other jobs. Before long, the company grew tremendously, and now offers a full complement of vehicles, from sedans to luxury motor coaches and specialty vehicles. YPL also prioritizes cutting-edge technology to give clients a seamless and safe travel experience. Raimer is excited to realize the possibilities that the WBENC certification will provide YPL as well as its clients.
“In today’s marketplace, transporting from point A to point B is not going to suffice,” she said. “I believe we truly need to partner with our clients on several different levels of service. Offering WBENC certification becomes an asset for our clients, who can then provide this opportunity to subcontractors and affiliates seeking minority companies for their second tier spend.”
Visit yourprivatelimo.com for more information.
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TEMSA TS 35E at the UMA Expo in Atlanta, Ga.
Atlanta — TEMSA Global, along with its exclusive U.S. distributor CH Bus Sales, recently introduced the newly enhanced TS 35E midsize coach at the United Motorcoach Expo (UMA) in Atlanta, Ga. The unveiling took place at a press conference on February 2, and included a first-order presentation to Royal Excursion of South Bend, Ind.
Robert Foley, president and CEO of CH Bus Sales, led the press conference by explaining the company’s competitive advantage in the midsize market with the best-selling TS 35 model. Foley shared that the new TS 35E model “exemplifies the tremendous success we’ve had with the 35-foot coach and our new E will be able to provide the same advantages it is known for, but with some more modern enhancements and upgrades.”
Next, Tim Vaught, vice president of sales, service, and product development, and Ibrahim Eserce, research & development/after-sales services director, took the stage to describe the specific product development and enhanced features of the new TS 35E model. Vaught acknowledged that a product committee made up of CH and TEMSA representatives and operators played an important role in integrating the wants and needs of the operators into the enhanceddesign. Eserce then described the exciting new enhancements on the TS 35E coach, including an updated and modern look to the front face and rear door, new styling in the entryway with added LED tread lighting on the steps, new overhead reading lights, and enclosed parcel racks. The vehicle’s driver ergonomics is improved with an enlarged driver area (increased by four inches), updated ergonomic buttons, and an updated dashboard cover. Improving the serviceability of the coach was a large factor in the vehicle enhancement and is accomplished with a three-piece front bumper, three-piece rear engine door, stacked alternators, and 315 size tires.
Duane Geiger, executive vice president of CH Bus Sales recognized Shannon Kaser, owner and president of Royal Excursion, as taking the first order of the TS 35E coach. Kaser shared that his commitment came from “the success we’ve had with the other TS 35 and TS 45 TEMSA models and the great support from CH Bus Sales on the after-sales side.”
Visit chbussales.com for more information.
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Many GCLA board members attended the association’s Day on the Hill. Standing (L to R): Directors Jeff Brodsly of Chosen Payments, Gary Bauer of Bauer's Intelligent Transportation, Chris Quinn of Corporate Transportation Solutions, Rick Buell of Diva Limousine, and Darren Croasdale of La Costa Limousine. Seated (L to R): Secretary Ryan Silva of Epic Transportation, Vice President John Raftery of Executive Limousine & Coach, President Kevin Illingworth of Classique Limousine, and Treasurer David Kinney of API Global Transportation.Sacramento, Calif. — The Greater California Livery Association (GCLA) held its annual Day on the Hill February 10. Chauffeur Driven’s Industry & Brand Ambassador Philip Jagiela joined 14 association representatives in a full day of meetings with state legislators to lobby for the industry, as well to show support for a safely regulated transportation sector that regards the traveling public’s safety as its highest priority.
On February 9, the GCLA hosted an open planning meeting that included association information as well as lobbyist updates from Gregg Cook of Government Affairs Consulting. The GCLA reaffirmed that it does not believe the industry should adopt an across-the-board independent contractor model to remain in competition with TNCs. Those present discussed how high turnover at the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC), combined with being chronically understaffed, has inhibited consistency in enforcement; its new chairman has considered disbanding the organization entirely.
Day on the Hill proper began with a briefing the morning of February 10, which included presentations from guest speakers Deputy Secretary of DMV/California Highway Patrol Rhonda Pascal and Patrick West of Senator Jerry Hill’s office. Afterward, GCLA operators and vendors took to the capital and spoke to an array of representatives and their staff members about the association’s most pressing concerns. Members’ overall reactions to their boots-on-the-ground efforts were positive, while government representatives had much to share with GCLA.
Senate Transportation Committee Chair Randy Chinn spoke about the competitive landscape of transportation and the ways TNCs are affecting public transit, and how current troubles surrounding California’s PUC may lead to lowering regulations all around rather than increasing those relating to TNCs. He discussed AB-1677, a taxi/bus bill introduced in January about the authority to regulate and inspect vehicles.
Edmund Cheung of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Commission also included the PUC among 2016’s major issues, touching on its possible dissolution and noting that other agencies, such as the departments of Motor Vehicles or Transportation, would have to take over its duties. Cheung also touched upon the necessity of defining what constitutes a bus from a regulatory standpoint as well as ramping up safety inspections for high-occupancy vehicles.
GCLA members also heard from Evan McLaughlin, the Chief of Staff for Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, who is heavily involved in the state’s labor-related initiatives. He talked about how workers are currently facing a “gig” economy, wherein workers are finding more freelance-style jobs available than traditionally full-time ones. AB-1727, a bill sponsored by Gonzalez, is currently in the House and aims to amend Section 2750.5 of the Labor Code so that “a worker performing services for which a license is required under the Contractors’ State License Law, or performing services for a person who is required to obtain that license, is an employee, rather than an independent contractor.”
The next GCLA event will be its April 12 meeting in Los Angeles.
Visit gcla.org for more information.
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